Oct
7
For much of the modern world, the United States is a leader in politics, economics, and in buying power, but when it comes to the environment, how eco-friendly is the United States? While “organic,” “green,” or “environmentally friendly” products seem to be everywhere today, do they really represent an eco-friendly stance by the United States? To determine how eco-friendly the United States is, it is important to view how consumers and federal agencies implement green processes in day-to-day affairs.
For many consumers, living green has come to mean more than just buying products labeled “biodegradable” or “green.” In fact, a huge share of consumer power has shifted toward buying environmentally friendly and responsible products. A study by Green Seal and EnviroMedia Social Marketing reveals that 4 out of 5 consumers are buying green products and services – even with the downturn in the economy. There were many cited reasons for their buying decisions, with only 9 percent stating green advertising as their main influence. Twenty-one percent cited product reputation, 19% word of mouth, and 15% stated brand loyalty as their reason for buying. An excellent turn around it would seem. But counter these study results with the report by TerraChoice, which found 95 percent of 5,000 items in US stores were guilty of “green washing” – essentially making false claims about the ecological benefit of their products. So while consumers seem willing and able to commit significant funds toward truly green products, it seems the market is unwilling or unable to produce them, depending on false claims and unverified data to brand their products “green.” A large part of the problem is the voluntary guidelines imposed by federal regulators, which are 20 years old and offer little oversight as to how it’s being translated by producers or consumers.
With so much of the consumer market in turmoil over truth in green marketing, how do federal agencies fare in eco-friendly habits? The Obama Administration has made green initiatives and action a big part of their platform and while some federal buildings have received green makeovers, a study by Deloitte reveals that federal agencies have a long way to go because of a lack of resources and leadership in implementing wide-ranging, comprehensive green changes and updates. While green measures often save money over the long-term, they do require an upfront cost for greener technologies and converting existing programs and plans to eco-friendly standards. And in the midst of a debt crisis that has led to budget cuts nationwide, many agencies simply don’t have any more stones to squeeze. But even so, the Obama Administration continues to delegate green expectations across the board, including a recent memorandum stating by the end of 2015, all vehicles purchased for the federal fleet must be hybrids or powered by electric, compressed natural gas, or biofuel. But when federal agencies lack a cohesive baseline or performance measures, it is difficult to see how they will be able to implement the many green initiatives proposed by the White House.
In determining how eco-friendly the United States really is, it is astonishing to see how much of the world really isn’t. While living green and conservation efforts seem to be at the forefront of many people’s minds, the odds seem stacked against consumers and federal agencies in the deceptive marketing practices used to sell green products and a generally inability to produce the funds needed to implement the practices. It seems heavy reform is needed to regulate the standards for which products can be called green and a comprehensive response from the White House before the United States can be called a leader in eco-friendly and green initiatives.
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