Seven Sins of Greenwashing
Who even knew there were colors ? I promise to be brief.
- Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off – A claim suggesting that a product is “green” based on a narrow set of attributes without attention to other environmental issues.
- Sin of NO PROOF (and one of my favorites) – An environmental claim that cannot be substantiated by easily accessible supporting information or by a reliable third-party certification. If you’re interested in following our coffee, go to www.fairtradeproof.org.
- Sin of Vagueness – A claim that is so poorly defined or broad that its real meaning is likely to be misunderstood by the consumer. “All-Natural” is a great example.
- Sin of Worshiping False Labels – A product that gives the impression of third-party endorsement where no such endorsement occurs.
- Sin of Irrelevance – An environmental claim that may be truthful but is unimportant for consumers seeking environmentally preferable products. “CFC-Free” is an example, since it is a frequent claim despite the fact that CFC’s are banned by law.
- Sin of Lesser of Two Evils – A claim that may be true, but distracts the consumer from the greater environmental impact. Organic cigarettes or fuel efficient sport-utility vehicles are examples.
- Sin of Fibbing – Environmental claims that are simply false.
We’ve worked hard to get the certifications we have and are quite proud of them. If you’d like more information, please let us know.
My point – read the label. And then read a little further. When it comes to coffee, if you’re buying fairly traded, organic, direct relationship coffee, have your roaster prove it.