... and what you can do to avoid greenwashing
The Greenwash Guide
- (from the Greenwash Guide- Futerra.org.uk)
Available above for download, the Greenwash Guide provides an entertaining and in-depth look at the problem's history and current status, global advertising regulations, advertising agency responses and the top ten signs that a commercial is just after your cash. Worth a look!
The Green Cred Checklist
An Initiative of the Australian Total Environment Centre. The Total Environment Centre defines greenwash as: ‘key communications or actions by an organisation that creates a reputation of being more responsible or sustainable than they actually are. This can be applied to a product, service, company or sector.’
Often the result of ignorance and over-enthusiasm rather than deliberate deceit, it exploits rising consumer concern about environmental problems and emerging demand for more sustainable lifestyles, and undermines the leadership efforts of companies with genuine green products and credible sustainability performance. Importantly, ending greenwash is a priority to unlock the potential for consumers to drive sustainability in tandem with progressive action by governments and corporations.
The Total Environment Centre’s Green Capital Program exists to advance environmental sustainability by helping businesses to reduce their footprint and adopt new and better practices. Green Capital and the TEC share a longstanding commitment to raising the standards of green marketing and upholding the integrity of environmental claims in advertising, marketing communications (‘marcoms’) and corporate positioning, including sustainability and corporate citizenship reports.
There are three main objectives for these guidelines:
1. Encourage businesses to identify and invest in credible products and business models that deliver enhanced environmental outcomes
2. Promote adoption of best practice in making environmental claims in advertising, media statements and other corporate communications, and
3. Put an end to ‘greenwash’ to give consumers confidence in environmental claims and to encourage them to make ‘buying greener’ the societal norm.
Check out The Green Cred Checklist on the ecohotel web directory.
AND EVEN MORE HELP TO GET YOUR GREEN CLAIMS RIGHT
THE OFFICIAL REGULATORS
- ACCC on Green Marketing and the Trade Practices Act
The Green marketing and the Trade Practices is available for download from this site. Type in Green marketing on “search” for further information.
- ACCC on Carbon Offset claims
- ACCC on Environmental Claims
-scroll to bottom of ACCC “scams” page
THE MARKETING INDUSTRY
- Australian Marketing Institute – Green Marketing
THE STANDARDS BODIES
- Standards Australia
- Self-declared environmental claims
THE COMMUNITY WATCHDOGS
- CHOICE Green Watch
ENVIRONMENTAL LABELLING
- Eco-Specifier
- Good Environmental Choice Australia
- Understanding Misleading Environmental Claims of Products in Australia
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