Home Depot plans to label products that they judge to be environmentally friendly, using the name "Eco Option." Yet more than 90 percent of the products in the line are already on Home Depot’s shelves. While this is undoubtedly a step forward, the self-regulatory trajectory that this labeling is taking in the United States raises questions about accountability. The Eco Options brand will identify some productes as environmentally friendly, but no label is offered for environmentally unfriendly products. Link

Walmart announced in March 2007 that it would begin featuring flourescent light bulbs in an effort to reduce energy consumption.

Coke and the World Wildlife Fund

Greenwashing with Coke

Bottled Water

Bottled hype: Companies try to sell you on the purity and health benefits of bottled water, but is it better than tap? Keep in mind the transportation of water causes a rise in greenhouse gas emissions. Article: Bottled water is killing the planet.

Mmmmm. Detroit city water in a bottle: Aquafina.

Manufacturing

Computers and cars require more fossil fuels to make than you might think. Link Despite this situation, some companies are beginning to address the need for recycling if not reduced consumption.

Karma Offsets

Starbucks has come under fire for its exploitation of coffee growers. They've responded by producing a environmentalist online game. While Starbucks has many areas in which it could improve its own environmental footprint, its primary reasons for making the game could be considered sincere. As a broad policy question, however, is it not important to unite with labor rights campaigners to prevent the environment from becoming a wedge issue that gives corporations a free pass on other issues? Link

Food Fight

Not strictly greenwashing but a new low in marketing to children, nevertheless Link

Love for Sale

Meanwhile, the antidote must not be aired on MTV! What does the censorship of this type of video say about American "freedom of speech"? Link

Greener Apple?

Apple is bragging about how green it is, but it is standing in the way of progress on some fronts. I bought some expensive solar power equipment so I could power my laptop and a few other things on the sun, but I find that I'm obliged to convert from DC->AC->DC in order to power a MacBookPro because Apple is not permitting anyone to make a 12V adapter with the patented MagSafe plug. This means losing energy to heat in the conversion process.

Televisions

Philips has received an award for its new HDTV because it's said to be "efficient" with electricity. Yet what these industry driven awards fail to mention is that the new sets are less efficient than the ones they replace. The average power consumption of a 27" cathode ray tube color television is still less than the celebrated "Eco TV" of Philips, which consumes 192 watts when calibrated, according to a CNET review. Far more impressive are the new displays coming to market that use less than half the power required by the Eco TV.