Genuine or Greenwashing: Green.Yahoo.com

I was first introduced to the term "greenwashing" at the 2007 Step It Up Rally in Arlington while talking to Wendy Rieger of The Green Room blog about Vanity Fair's Green Issue.

"Do you think they really care about the environment," Wendy asked, "or is it just another example of greenwashing -- companies pretending to be green to move product?"

It's a terribly hard question to answer. Are companies just doing the best they can? If so, can you blame them?

I faced that dilemma last month when Yahoo launched Green.Yahoo.com. I got emails from several friends and even Yahoo itself asking me to help spread the word.

But the greenwashing question nagged at me.

Maybe it was the Ford ads displayed prominently on the page. Not one. Two. In fact, every page on the site has a Ford ad on it.

Granted, the ads were touting the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV. But the Ford Escape averages around 33 miles per gallon -- the same as my 1999 Saturn SL2 sedan, which isn't even a hybrid. (The failure of U.S. automakers to develop fuel-efficient vehicles deserves its own post another day, but we'll stick to greenwashing here.) The site also launched with a contest to give away Ford Escape Hybrid SUV taxis.

The Yahoo Green site links to the Yahoo Autos Top 100 Green Cars page. The rankings somehow have the 2007 Volkswagen New Beetle, which gets an appalling 23 miles per gallon city, as the #25 most green car with no additional explanation.

The more I looked at the site, touting compact fluorescent light bulbs, composting, and other very nice things, I started to wonder ... where was talk about carbon emissions?

Nowhere on the site can I find any mention of the need to cut carbon emissions 80% by 2050 to limit the effects of global warming.

There's no mention of the Yahoo Green page anywhere on Yahoo's front page.

The more I looked at the site, the more I wondered. Was it designed to promote environmentalism? Or to sell Ford Hybrid SUVs?

The bottom line -- buying green involves the same principles as any other kind of smart shopping. Don't take claims at face value. Ask tough questions. Do your research.

Got a suggestion for Genuine or Greenwashing? Let me know!

Save the Date: April 14 "Step It Up" Climate Change Rally

I just learned the details of a major climate change rally coming up next month in Rosslyn. It's called "Step It Up," and it's critical you come out and show Congress it must act now to minimize the coming crisis.

Arlington County Board Chair Paul Ferguson and NBC4's Wendy Rieger, two of our region's leading environmental voices, will address the rally. The Green Miles has also been invited to speak. You can get more details of the local rally on the Sierra Club DC's website, and more details of the national effort at the Step It Up site.

Here are the details:

“Creating a Climate of Change” – A Rally to Address Global Warming

Mark your calendar! On Saturday, April 14, at 1:00 p.m., join the groundswell of support for addressing global warming and energy challenges at the “Creating a Climate of Change” Rally at Gateway Park in Arlington, VA. This rally is inspired by Step It Up 2007 ( www.stepitup2007.org ) and will be one of hundreds of rallies across the country that day. The Mt. Vernon Group of the Sierra Club and Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment are sponsors of this event.

Gateway Park offers a powerfully symbolic setting for this global warming rally. The park overlooks the tidal (sea-level) Potomac River and also Theodore Roosevelt Island, evoking the timeless conservation message of our Nation’s 26th president. Come for the historic experience. Come for the great speakers. Come lend your support for new societal change. Confirmed speakers include: Arlington County Board Chairman, Paul Ferguson, who has made global warming his 2007 theme; Scott Sklar, President of The Stella Group, Ltd.; NBC 4 News Anchor, Wendy Rieger, and Martin Ogle, event organizer and long-time advocate for energy efficiency and conservation. Other speakers will be added.

Rally participants are encouraged to take Metro. Gateway Park is less than ½ mile from the Rosslyn Metro Station on the Orange Line. It is located on Lee Highway just before it ends on the ramp for Theodore Roosevelt Island, and is accessible from the Custis Bike Trail. Participants are encouraged to take Metro or ride bicycles. Those who must drive can find public street parking and also spaces in the parking lot for Rosslyn Spectrum Theater accessible from Arlington Ridge Road, one block east of Kent Street. For more information, contact Chris Carney.

See you tonight at Living Green in Arlington!

I'm looking forward to seeing some familiar faces and meeting some new ones tonight at the annual meeting for Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment, "Living Green in Arlington: Renewable Energy, Clean Water, and Buying Responsibly"! The free event takes place tonight from 6:30 to 9:30pm at the NRECA Building (4301 Wilson Blvd., across the street from Ballston Mall and two blocks from Ballston Metro).

ACE board members, staffers, and interns have done a phenomenal job putting the event together. We have an amazing total of 22 businesses and groups scheduled to have representatives and information at the event, a testament to both the excitement surrounding the event and the hard work that's gone into planning it.

It'll be worth the trip just to hear County Board Chairman Paul Ferguson and NBC4 anchor Wendy Rieger. They're two of our region's best environmental advocates, and it's going to be quite a double feature to be able to hear them both speak on the same night.

We'll also have a special offer for people who become ACE members tonight, along with information about ACE's Green Living Challenge.

See you tonight!

County Board Chairman Paul Ferguson (white polo shirt) welcomes the crowd at the 2006 ACE Hike & Happy Hour

Living Green in Arlington: Renewable Energy, Clean Water & Buying Responsibly

Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment is holding its annual meeting this month! It's called "Living Green in Arlington: Renewable Energy, Clean Water, and Buying Responsibly," and it will take place on Thursday March 15th from 6:30 to 9:30pm at the NRECA Building (4301 Wilson Blvd. near Ballston Metro).

This year we have two big special guests: Arlington County Board Chair Paul Ferguson and NBC4's Wendy Rieger. Paul has made headlines this year for spearheading Arlington's Fresh AIRE program, and Wendy hosts a series of reports called "Going Green" as well as The Green Room blog.

After remarks from Paul, Wendy, ACE Executive Director Elenor Hodges, and ACE Board Chair Me, Paul will moderate a panel discussion featuring Scott Sklar (The Stella Group), Don Waye (U.S. EPA) and Monique Tilford (Center for a New American Dream). We'll also have a special offer for people who become ACE members at the meeting and have lots of information about ACE's Green Living Challenge.

So far, the following exhibitors have signed up to have representatives and information at the event:

Alice Ferguson Foundation
Alterego
Arlington County
Cacao Nibbles
Capitol Greenroofs
DC Green Realty
Deconstruction Services
Dominion Floors
Energy Star
EnviroArchitecture
Flexcar
Nature by Design
Potomac Overlook Regional Park
Salvatierra Imports
Ten Thousand Villages
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Virginia Sustainable Building Network

Oh, and as I always follow the advice of Eric "You'll Get More People If You Say Punch & Pie!" Cartman, we'll also have refreshments thanks to a generous donation from Whole Foods.

Hope to see you there!

DC Media Going Green

UPDATE: Grist has an interview with Ikea's sustainability director.

UPDATE #2: The Washington Post reports on Ikea's plastic bag fee.

One side effect of global warming's mainstream acceptance is that more businesses are realizing there's money to be made by going green.

A DC radio station is following the trend, with WARW re-branding itself as "94.7 The Globe." Their website lists their green principles, but has no details on either what the station is doing or what listeners can do to help the environment. They're hyping the Bonnaroo music festival as a green event, but so far, the concert's website has exactly as many details as 94.7's (zero).

Fortunately, Raw Fisher is on the case. Marc reports the station put out a statement on what it will be doing on the green front, including "Using renewable energy to supply power to the station's 50,000 watt signal and using hybrid station vehicles. ... Station appearances will ... provide listeners with information on environmental leadership and energy conservation; WARW will also host events encouraging recycling, tree planting and use of green products."

I'm going to hold back judgement on The Globe until I see how they put their principles into action. Will they host a local public affairs show dedicated to environmental issues? Will they donate money and airtime to local environmental organizations? Will they print promotional items on recycled material? The devil, as always, is in the details.

Over at NBC4, Wendy Rieger is making a much more personal statement about the environment. She's been presenting a "Going Green" series of reports since 2005. She's now expanded that to include a blog, "The Green Room." It's fantastic to see such a well-known news anchor lending her name and expertise to the cause of environmentalism.

My favorite tidbit from The Green Room so far comes from Wendy's most recent trip to Ireland:

You don't automatically get a bag for your groceries in the stores here; you either bring your own or have to buy a bag at 2-cents each. I've often carried my roll of paper towels and box of tea home under my arm not because I didn't want to buy a bag, but the question "do you need a bag" gives one pause long enough to realize that bagging such paltry items just seemed wrong. There is clearly much more Irish eco-info to impart but I'm afraid you'll grow weary and in desperation start begging me to elaborate on the Shannon Airport breakfast bar.

Very good point. Here in the U.S., the question isn't even asked -- you get a bag whether you want it or not. I hate it when I run to CVS to grab a greeting card and the cashier sticks it in a bag. Is it really that unwieldy that I need something to carry it in? Bigger grocery stores allow you to return your bags, but why use so many of them in the first place?

According to fellow blogger the Green Wombat, Ikea just announced it will start charging for plastic bags. Do you think we should consider lobbying more stores to start charging for bags here in the U.S.?

The Green Room blog doesn't allow comments, but you can email Wendy with feedback and story ideas!