Comments on: Colorblind Environmentalist: when green raises red flags http://www.30pov.com/2009/09/30/guest-post-colorblind-environmentalist-when-green-raises-red-flags/ Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:19:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: llxt http://www.30pov.com/2009/09/30/guest-post-colorblind-environmentalist-when-green-raises-red-flags/comment-page-1/#comment-1759 llxt Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:41:17 +0000 http://30pov.com/?p=882#comment-1759 I think this there are relevant points both of you are making and I don't want to get in the middle (!)...but I think we all need to admit that anytime we "comment" on the world, we're making a judgment. Right? I think this there are relevant points both of you are making and I don't want to get in the middle (!)…but I think we all need to admit that anytime we "comment" on the world, we're making a judgment. Right?

]]> By: Adam Starr http://www.30pov.com/2009/09/30/guest-post-colorblind-environmentalist-when-green-raises-red-flags/comment-page-1/#comment-1757 Adam Starr Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:27:34 +0000 http://30pov.com/?p=882#comment-1757 Chris, only you can decide if you're a (as you put it) "bad person". If you buy a product that causes pain or destruction somewhere in the world, that's just a fact. It's up to you to decide what type of person your choices make you. Where Michele is simply setting out the facts, there's no necessary judgment occurring save what's going on between your own two ears. If you judge yourself harshly based on the outcomes you create, that's your own prerogative - and I would never myself say one can be too critical of one's own actions. But to harp on the article Michele wrote is like your brain castigating your eyes for what they see. The world is what it is - judge for yourself as to what kind of player you want to be in it. Chris, only you can decide if you're a (as you put it) "bad person". If you buy a product that causes pain or destruction somewhere in the world, that's just a fact. It's up to you to decide what type of person your choices make you. Where Michele is simply setting out the facts, there's no necessary judgment occurring save what's going on between your own two ears. If you judge yourself harshly based on the outcomes you create, that's your own prerogative – and I would never myself say one can be too critical of one's own actions. But to harp on the article Michele wrote is like your brain castigating your eyes for what they see. The world is what it is – judge for yourself as to what kind of player you want to be in it.

]]> By: Jordan Skinner http://www.30pov.com/2009/09/30/guest-post-colorblind-environmentalist-when-green-raises-red-flags/comment-page-1/#comment-1109 Jordan Skinner Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:46:45 +0000 http://30pov.com/?p=882#comment-1109 I found this post really interesting. Sort of a tale of two of companies trying to say that there product is green and eco friendly and the other pretending to be. Company A proved that their products were eco friendly with documentation and all the ingredients they use. Obviously they had nothing to hide. But Company B seemed to be more interested in trying to take advantage of gullible customers who trying to find “green” products. Heck why would a company lie or deceive the consumer? Well Company B is more interested in making green and that’s money. It’s bad business ethics to deceive consumers into thinking they are buying something that’s supposed to be green and eco friendly. That’s why Company B won’t last very long and Company a now is in good standing with its consumers who will end up telling their friends to buy products from them. So Company A proved you could have great green ethics and be a profitable business. I found this post really interesting. Sort of a tale of two of companies trying to say that there product is green and eco friendly and the other pretending to be. Company A proved that their products were eco friendly with documentation and all the ingredients they use. Obviously they had nothing to hide. But Company B seemed to be more interested in trying to take advantage of gullible customers who trying to find “green” products. Heck why would a company lie or deceive the consumer? Well Company B is more interested in making green and that’s money. It’s bad business ethics to deceive consumers into thinking they are buying something that’s supposed to be green and eco friendly. That’s why Company B won’t last very long and Company a now is in good standing with its consumers who will end up telling their friends to buy products from them. So Company A proved you could have great green ethics and be a profitable business.

]]> By: MIchele Martin http://www.30pov.com/2009/09/30/guest-post-colorblind-environmentalist-when-green-raises-red-flags/comment-page-1/#comment-1108 MIchele Martin Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:16:39 +0000 http://30pov.com/?p=882#comment-1108 Mary Kate, All we can all do is our best. There are some times when I get tricked by a clever tagline or marketing ploy and then I find myself growling cause I should know better. It is my JOB to know better BUT it looked, sounded, felt so so right. Our dollars are our strongest weapons. We vote with them everyday. Just make sure that your vote is going towards what you believe in. That's all we can hope for. Tell your boyfriend to be easy on you or you will never let him live down his un-eco transgressions! Ha Ha Ha. -Michele Mary Kate,

All we can all do is our best. There are some times when I get tricked by a clever tagline or marketing ploy and then I find myself growling cause I should know better. It is my JOB to know better BUT it looked, sounded, felt so so right.

Our dollars are our strongest weapons. We vote with them everyday. Just make sure that your vote is going towards what you believe in. That’s all we can hope for.

Tell your boyfriend to be easy on you or you will never let him live down his un-eco transgressions! Ha Ha Ha.

-Michele

]]> By: MIchele Martin http://www.30pov.com/2009/09/30/guest-post-colorblind-environmentalist-when-green-raises-red-flags/comment-page-1/#comment-1107 MIchele Martin Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:12:56 +0000 http://30pov.com/?p=882#comment-1107 Eric, If a company is going to be attending an event geared towards "Natural Products" buyers and manufacturers; I do believe they should be able to answer my any of our questions, yes. A company should be able to stand behind any claim it makes and explain it's decision to do or use certain things. If they would like the consumer to stand behind their product, they should be able to as well. I chose not to identify any of the companies because I don't support any one business over any other as the perfect choice for everyone. Whomever someone chooses to buy from, is their own personal choice. I know what my needs are as a consumer and they probably differ from many of you. In some cases more stringent in a certain area and in some, less stringent in another. Your final sentence nails the point though.... "Natural isn’t always green, green isn’t always natural?" That is true. That is why it is important to decide what you need from the product and ask those questions. DON'T let the marketing sell you on the product, let the answers. Ask yourself this. If you were blind and couldn't see the packaging.... what questions would you ask? Michele Eric,

If a company is going to be attending an event geared towards “Natural Products” buyers and manufacturers; I do believe they should be able to answer my any of our questions, yes. A company should be able to stand behind any claim it makes and explain it’s decision to do or use certain things. If they would like the consumer to stand behind their product, they should be able to as well.

I chose not to identify any of the companies because I don’t support any one business over any other as the perfect choice for everyone. Whomever someone chooses to buy from, is their own personal choice. I know what my needs are as a consumer and they probably differ from many of you. In some cases more stringent in a certain area and in some, less stringent in another.

Your final sentence nails the point though…. “Natural isn’t always green, green isn’t always natural?” That is true. That is why it is important to decide what you need from the product and ask those questions. DON’T let the marketing sell you on the product, let the answers. Ask yourself this. If you were blind and couldn’t see the packaging…. what questions would you ask?

Michele

]]> By: MIchele Martin http://www.30pov.com/2009/09/30/guest-post-colorblind-environmentalist-when-green-raises-red-flags/comment-page-1/#comment-1106 MIchele Martin Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:02:58 +0000 http://30pov.com/?p=882#comment-1106 Chris, I am interested in hearing how you considered my article to be a slam/ belittlement on you and the individual eco-minded consumer rather than a comment on the INDUSTRY and how some companies like to slide in under false pretenses. My point in this article was that one shouldn't make false claims or avoid the questions. I attended as a buyer. My purpose was to find products that are as sustainable as possible so that MY customers don't need to second guess. I go above and beyond for my business because my customers expect me to. They vary in their intensity and commitment to the green lifestyle and because of this...I MUST ask all the questions and nit pick down to the very smallest of details...not because I am better than anyone but because it is my job to have the answer if someone asks what the "cost" is of something. No, none of us are perfect.... the key is to do the best you can. Some days will be better than others. I buy from Starbucks... is it the best alternative, no. But it's better than others. I choose to home cook for my dog in the summer because of the local produce and feed a commercial raw in the winter. Is my choice the best? For my particular dog and my particular life, it is. The point to all of this is simple. Determine what your answers need to be and ask those questions of companies, individuals, communities, etc.... so that you can live the best that you can. I am not asking you as an individual to answer to anyone. Do the best you can for yourself, your pet, your community and your earth and you will have a sense of pride knowing that you are part of something bigger. Whatever that is for you. It's not about one upping each other. It is however about corporate responsibility. A business is responsible for standing up and stating what it stands for and being able to back up those claims. Don't lie to us with marketing ploys and pr stunts. Don't insult us or ignore us. The point of this post is to remain educated. Decide what YOU need and ask those questions. BTW, thanks for doing CSA! I have a bunch of friends who are farmers and CSA is super important to them!!!!! Michele Chris,

I am interested in hearing how you considered my article to be a slam/ belittlement on you and the individual eco-minded consumer rather than a comment on the INDUSTRY and how some companies like to slide in under false pretenses. My point in this article was that one shouldn’t make false claims or avoid the questions. I attended as a buyer. My purpose was to find products that are as sustainable as possible so that MY customers don’t need to second guess. I go above and beyond for my business because my customers expect me to. They vary in their intensity and commitment to the green lifestyle and because of this…I MUST ask all the questions and nit pick down to the very smallest of details…not because I am better than anyone but because it is my job to have the answer if someone asks what the “cost” is of something.

No, none of us are perfect…. the key is to do the best you can. Some days will be better than others. I buy from Starbucks… is it the best alternative, no. But it’s better than others. I choose to home cook for my dog in the summer because of the local produce and feed a commercial raw in the winter. Is my choice the best? For my particular dog and my particular life, it is.

The point to all of this is simple. Determine what your answers need to be and ask those questions of companies, individuals, communities, etc…. so that you can live the best that you can. I am not asking you as an individual to answer to anyone. Do the best you can for yourself, your pet, your community and your earth and you will have a sense of pride knowing that you are part of something bigger. Whatever that is for you. It’s not about one upping each other.

It is however about corporate responsibility. A business is responsible for standing up and stating what it stands for and being able to back up those claims. Don’t lie to us with marketing ploys and pr stunts. Don’t insult us or ignore us. The point of this post is to remain educated. Decide what YOU need and ask those questions.

BTW, thanks for doing CSA! I have a bunch of friends who are farmers and CSA is super important to them!!!!!

Michele

]]> By: Chris Erickson http://www.30pov.com/2009/09/30/guest-post-colorblind-environmentalist-when-green-raises-red-flags/comment-page-1/#comment-1105 Chris Erickson Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:22:17 +0000 http://30pov.com/?p=882#comment-1105 I have one problem, and one problem only with this post. I appreciate the fact that someone is trying to spread the idea of what it really means to "go green" to people, and I also like the fact that this is semi-eye opening. However, i do get this sense that the author likes to look down her nose at people who do not do as she does. I, for example, love to help the environment. Don't ask me how, because I am not totally sure. I recycle where I can, I try not to buy shitty plastic products, and there are plenty of other things i do. Oh, i also refuse to support agriculture that uses pesticides and hormones. CSA all the way for me my friends. But, does it mean i am a bad person if i do not observe "Greenology" to perfection? No. I'm not perfect. Shit, something like 99% of the world is not perfect (and if the 1% of perfection is reading this, what's up?). SO why do you have to make me feel like I am a bad person because I do not buy products with completely reusable packaging? I buy my dog healthy, organic food, but now i feel like that isn't good enough, and so I must be a bad dog owner. Our value systems are different, Author. And I appreciate the work you are doing. But please, next time, don't belittle me into joining your cause. Inform me, ask me, and educate me. It will go much further. I have one problem, and one problem only with this post. I appreciate the fact that someone is trying to spread the idea of what it really means to “go green” to people, and I also like the fact that this is semi-eye opening. However, i do get this sense that the author likes to look down her nose at people who do not do as she does. I, for example, love to help the environment. Don’t ask me how, because I am not totally sure. I recycle where I can, I try not to buy shitty plastic products, and there are plenty of other things i do. Oh, i also refuse to support agriculture that uses pesticides and hormones. CSA all the way for me my friends. But, does it mean i am a bad person if i do not observe “Greenology” to perfection? No. I’m not perfect. Shit, something like 99% of the world is not perfect (and if the 1% of perfection is reading this, what’s up?). SO why do you have to make me feel like I am a bad person because I do not buy products with completely reusable packaging? I buy my dog healthy, organic food, but now i feel like that isn’t good enough, and so I must be a bad dog owner. Our value systems are different, Author. And I appreciate the work you are doing. But please, next time, don’t belittle me into joining your cause. Inform me, ask me, and educate me. It will go much further.

]]> By: Eric Benson http://www.30pov.com/2009/09/30/guest-post-colorblind-environmentalist-when-green-raises-red-flags/comment-page-1/#comment-1104 Eric Benson Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:29:28 +0000 http://30pov.com/?p=882#comment-1104 Okay, so you say that just because a company doesn't give you all the answers makes it "greenly" unethical. I don't know what kind of expo this was, but as far as I'm concerned, a lot of people are all gathered in one place, for one purpose at an expo. Company B sounds like the worse of the two options here, but what makes company A the lesser of the two evils. The effort the publisher took to gather this information leads me to (probably wrongfully) assume they're pretty interested in going green. Just the fact this is a green expo leads the "bad" companies to be sectioned off. You can ask all the questions you want, gather all the information you want, but in the end what makes it green is whether or not the consumer believes it. Natural isn't always green, green isn't always natural? ^_^ Okay, so you say that just because a company doesn’t give you all the answers makes it “greenly” unethical. I don’t know what kind of expo this was, but as far as I’m concerned, a lot of people are all gathered in one place, for one purpose at an expo. Company B sounds like the worse of the two options here, but what makes company A the lesser of the two evils. The effort the publisher took to gather this information leads me to (probably wrongfully) assume they’re pretty interested in going green. Just the fact this is a green expo leads the “bad” companies to be sectioned off. You can ask all the questions you want, gather all the information you want, but in the end what makes it green is whether or not the consumer believes it. Natural isn’t always green, green isn’t always natural?

^_^

]]> By: Mary Kate http://www.30pov.com/2009/09/30/guest-post-colorblind-environmentalist-when-green-raises-red-flags/comment-page-1/#comment-1103 Mary Kate Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:21:45 +0000 http://30pov.com/?p=882#comment-1103 It is really amazing to me what people can get away with these days. Sometimes it doesn't even occur to me to consider if what one company claims is true or not. Not that I'm naive, sometimes I just don't put that much thought into it. Although, recently I have tried observing and learning about such products, being as my boyfriend tries to be highly eco-friendly and often yells at me when I'm not. :) But it's good, it helps me learn. Just as this article teaches me to really talk to people about items, read the packaging, do research, and consider how eco-friendly the item is before I actually purchase it. In the future, I will commit to trying to do my best on this. It is really amazing to me what people can get away with these days. Sometimes it doesn’t even occur to me to consider if what one company claims is true or not. Not that I’m naive, sometimes I just don’t put that much thought into it. Although, recently I have tried observing and learning about such products, being as my boyfriend tries to be highly eco-friendly and often yells at me when I’m not. :) But it’s good, it helps me learn. Just as this article teaches me to really talk to people about items, read the packaging, do research, and consider how eco-friendly the item is before I actually purchase it. In the future, I will commit to trying to do my best on this.

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