The concept of Greenwashing and the importance of conscientization.

Since the 1990s, when people started to jump on the environmental wagon, corporations have implemented a strategy to please the concerned masses. This stragegy is widely known as “greenwashing” and it refers to the practice of false advertisement on a product that claims to be eco friendly but in reality is not.  In today’s marketing world, companies spend billions of dollars in Green PR or green marketing that is why it is easy to fall prey to false advertisement. We are constantly bombarded with commercials or online ads about a company’s green strategy, whether it may be a commodity  like a fuel efficient car or a basic cleaning product, consumers often fall prey to these false advertisements. Yet one way to escape being spoon fed false propaganda is to do your own research. With technology as fast as what we now call a 3G network consumers can become savvy shoppers.  But if time is an issue simply  visit one of these websites:]

http://stopgreenwash.org/

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Greenwashing

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/sep/10/bmw-activehybrid-x6

There are countless of helpful websites and these are among a few that I found interesting.  Keep in mind that these websites have been conveniently created to provide a conscientious approach on whether a product is eco friendly or just a false illusion.As consumers we must take the initiative to investigate a corporation’s claims of sustainability.  Some of the steps you could take to prevent being fooled by PRIf we choose to disregard this, it may lead to devastating damage to the earth. If we allow corporations to continue putting on a PR show on sustainability without holding them accountable for deceiving the public we are doing more harm not only to our environment but to ourselves. In 2007, one company set out to dismantle the false claims of corporations and their behavior. The  company is widely known as  TerraChoice Environmental Marketing Inc and throuhout it’s research it came across the “six sins of Greenwashing”.  These sins are:

1. Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off: which states that a producer claims sustainability aspects of product based only in one sustainable attribute and disregards missing areas.

2. Sin of No Proof: It is based on the environmental claim that a product is sustainable but the producer has no proof.

3. Sin of Vagueness:  A product’s environmental factors are presented vaguely.

4. Sin of Irrelevance:  This refers to an environmental claim that is of no relevance to the product.

5. Sin of Fibbing: False propaganda.

6. Sin of Lesser of Two Evils: This refers to an environmental claim that may be true but distracts consumers from the underlying factor or lack of sustainability.

Come learn about sustainability…

I was astonished when I heard the news of a University of Arkansas campus organization joining forces with other community organization to put together what is called the OMNI 5th Annual Omni UA Peace Festival!!! Now you may be asking yourself, what is this and why is it exciting? Well, allow me to elaborate.

Throughout the past four years,  the OMNI Project for Non-Violent Social Engagement  has hosted their annual Peace on Earth Music Festival and this year is no exception. The event will take place Friday October 16th from 12-8pm at the Greek Theater. The event is free, open to the public and will feature Fire Dancers, Free locally-grown food, and live music. The theme of the event is “Peace through awareness”. One of the most exciting parts of the event also comes from the fact that students and community leaders will have the opportunity to learn from interactive displays   and workshops that are oriented towards sustainable lifestyles.

For example, the organization is pushing forward the “SUSTAINABLE FOOD SOURCING & COOKING EDUCATION PROGRAM”. This program helps students work alongside professional, vegetarian cooks from local sustainable businesses by learning to prepare delicious, nutritious, sustainably and locally sourced vegetarian dishes. The dish ingredients will come fresh from the farmer’s Market and Ozark Natural Foods store. This program seeks to re-invent the concept of low-cost nutritious & delicious meals, while addressing obesity and nutrition issues.

This program is a collaboration between UA students, local sustainable farmers, local sustainable restaurants participating in farm-to-chef distribution circles, UA RSOs. It has been organized by the Omni Project for Nonviolent Social Engagement (RSO), GroGreen, the Omni Center for Peace, Justice & Ecology, Fayetteville Farmer’s Market Growers, and local Americorps Vista workers. Food will be served in ceramic bowls provided by the Arkansas Ceramics Enthusiasts RSO, therefore making for a low or no waste program.Another exciting aspect of the event is that people will have the opportunity to witness the construction of Fayetteville’s first ELECTRICTY-GENERATING BICYCLE RACK by courtesy of Jonathan Gibbs.

I will incorporate pictures of the event throughout the weekend for those of you that are not able to attend but nonetheless try to make your way…it will be a tremendous experience you won’t want to miss. Plus, learn how you can contribute to help the environment!!!

University of Arkansas commitment to Sustainability: Interview with Director of the Office for Sustainability.

In an interview with the the Director of the Office for Campus Sustainability, Dr. Nicholas Brown, I was able to understand the University of Arkansas commitment to move towards sustainability. Dr. Brown explained the role of the Sustainability council and the seven pillars it uses to guide its work.
The Seven Pillars Working Groups are:

1. Academics & Research
2. Energy
3. Water Resources
4. Food, Agriculture & Forestry
5. Land Use & Development
6. Pollution Prevention & Waste Minimization
7. Social & Community

Interview:
Ana: How did you come to take  the initiative for sustainability?

Dr. Brown: In February 07, then-Chancellor John White signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/), which binds us (by honor, but not legally) to : 1) make a public commitment to become a climate neutral (or carbon neutral) institution as soon as it is practical, 2) conduct and issue a greenhouse gas emissions inventory, and 3) develop a climate action plan that serves as a blueprint for meeting the goal of climate neutrality. They hired me as director of campus sustainability in December 07. We’ve completed all three of these tasks.
Ana: What are some of the challenges that you face with the concept of sustainability?

Dr. Brown: ” More than anything, sustainability is an issue of successfully addressing climate change, which makes it an issue of energy conservation and efficiency, and of moving to non-carbon, renewable forms of energy. I’ve attached our climate action plan, which commits us to reduce campus energy use by 50% by 2021 and to become climate neutral by 2040.”

Ana: What is the Sustainability Council?

Dr. Brown: ” The Sustainability Council is in charge of leading the University in becoming a carbon neutral institution, pursuant to our pledge as a signatory to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.”

Ana: When was the council formed?

Dr. Brown: “The Sustainability Council was organized and approved by the UA Executive Committee in Spring 08.  The Sustainability Council develops, coordinates, and recommends campus-based projects and policies that move the campus toward sustainability and mobilizes resources to realize research and applied projects.

Ana : Who makes up the Council?

Dr. Brown: “The Council is comprised of students, staff, faculty, and representatives from the community. Working groups of the Council include academics & research, energy, water resources, pollution prevention & waste minimization, land use and development, food agriculture & forestry, and social & community affairs. Students, faculty, and staff with interest and expertise in these areas are invited to participate in working groups of the Council. The Council is co-chaired by the president of the Associated Student Governments, the associate vice chancellor for facilities, and the director of the Applied Sustainability.”

Ana: What type of programs has the University adopted?

Dr. Brown:” The University has adopted over 100 projects and programs that are going on all over campus. It’s quite impressive!”

Ana: Is there a budget for the programs the University has adopted?

Dr. Brown: “The climate action plan proposes 23 projects that will address our carbon footprint. Among these, 18 or 20 are new. We’re already working on the largest of these (energy savings performance contracts, $52 million in building energy conservation and efficiency). We need the support (monitoring, insistence on funding and progress!) of students to aggressively implement these projects.”
Ana: What are your expectations in the development of these programs?

Dr. Brown: “I’m not very optimistic about funding for many of these projects. It’s proving difficult to get even $75K to install new bicycle racks on campus.”

Ana: How can students and the community get involved?

Dr. Brown: “This is a very tough question. Much of the work in the short term (2010 – 2014) is based on building energy conservation, which is accomplished by Facilities managers and engineers. The two areas that can involve students and the Fayetteville community more than anything else are 1) improving our support of bicycling, ride sharing, and other transportation issues, and 2) recycling. Active participation and honest, aggressive monitoring of campus sustainability by students and other campus users is critical to the long-term success of our work.”

Ana: Thank you so much for joining this talk on campus sustainability.

Environmental Leadership: What does the U.S. need to regain its global power?

After reading an article by Thomas L. Friedman, “The Power of Green,” I realized that he speaks much the truth. As an international relations and journalism major, it is of great concern to me where the U.S. is headed in this new era of globalization. I’ve come to understand that we no longer live in a unilateral power structure. The U.S. continues to lose its political influence and economic dominance at an alarming rate, yet all hope is not lost as a change to renewable energy could help U.S. move from being interdependent of oil-producing and exporting countries to independent of this energy.

Throughout his article, Friedman calls for “Energy independence as a national security issue.” And in terms he is right. While we sit around thinking to ourselves that we are the most proactive nation toward renewable energy the sad truth is that we are fooling ourselves. The unheard reality is that as a nation we have not begun to consider the serious costs, the effort and the scale of change to shift this nation to an emission free energy structure. Friedman’s argument that energy independence is a security matter arises from prior government action. After the 9/11 attacks, the United States did not discontinue its dependence of foreign oil, particularly from Saudi Arabia, fueling their economy and both sides of the war on terrorism. Friedman says that ” Soaring oil prices are poisoning the international system by strengthening antidemocratic regimes around the globe”. That is why, if the U.S. is to break free of its dependence of foreign oil, it it is imperative for the U.S. to research renewable energy in order to shift away from passing money and power into hostile hands.

But how are we to shift? Although the process will not be easy nor will it come fast, we have very bright minds at hand that can lead the way with their research. For example there is Robert Socolow, a Princeton  engineering  professor and Stephen Pacala, an ecology professor who through collaboration are leading the Carbon Mitigation Initiative in Princeton. It is imperative for us to develop emission-free energy and clean technology that is able to play into America’s economy. Incorporating clean technology into everything designed and manufactured holds the potential to revive the U.S.’s manufacturing power. But this does not mean that it will come at a cheap price and through cheap labor as we have done with China. This will require knowledge and innovative measures in order to achieve our set goal of expanding emission free guidelines across the nation. In the end, Friedman states that the best way to reach the scale of emission free energy, the U.S. will require the development of clean coal, wind farms, solar farms, clean fuels, and nuclear power at the China price (cheap prices), but today’s market restricts this appraoch holding us back from adopting a mass energy renewal structure.

The time has come for bold action: Community presses on to Senate to push forward a strong clean energy bill!

OMNI, a local grass roots organization that fosters peace, justice and ecology,  is hosting a party to discuss the Climate Change Bill that most likely will come before the Senate this week. They emphasize that now is the time to pressure our representatives  to pass a strong clean energy bill at home to be able to present it at the  International Global Warming Summit in Copenhagen in December. The meeting will take place this Thursday at 6pm in the OMNI house located at 902 W. Maple in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

OMNI’s  fundamental commitment is a nonviolent approach to  peacemaking among humans and between humans and the environment. It’s focus lies on ecology which is the interaction or relationship of humans and the environment. It embraces and promotes a strong advocacy process know as “Think Globally, Act Locally” and in an attempt to raise awareness of the local contributions that can be made to help address the larger issue, OMNI’s website has several interesting articles to read about how to restore the earth and conserve energy. As Lester Milbrath once said in his book,  Envisioning A Sustainable Society: Learning Our Way Out,
“…our environmental predicament has its origin in the very nature of modern society and…we can only extricate ourselves by transforming society.” It is only through conscientiousness of our community and through engaged action that we will be able to shift into a new era of renewable energy for all.

If you wish to find more information follow the link to OMNI’s webpage.   http://omnicenter.org/index.htm

Where do we go from here….community advocacy.

The concept of sustainability is not pushed forward by a few hands. This is the message the Mayor of Fayetteville sought to get across when he signed up the city of Fayetteville to participate in the “Cans for Cash City Recycling Challenge”. This contest was born out of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Novelis Corporation in which cities all over the country are challenged to collect recyclable aluminum beverage cans. For the competitive and caring folks of Fayetteville, the challenge will begin October 1st and will end October 31st of 2009.

Fayetteville will be competing with other cities of the same size for up to $5,000 in awards, which would be used to support recycling efforts through local education and awareness programs. The idea is that if every household in Fayetteville contributed by recycling two more cans per week there would be close to 2 million more aluminum cans recycled in Fayetteville each year! That in turn translates to about 30 extra tons of cans, which in 2008, averaged $1,538 per ton paid to the City of Fayetteville, according to the Fayetteville Sustainability Coordinator, John Coleman.

The big question you should be asking yourself right now is….how can I help? Well, residents are able to participate by placing their aluminum cans in their curbside recycling bins at home for weekly collection or by bringing the cans to the City of Fayetteville’s Recycling drop off site located at 1560 S. Happy Hollow Road. I know by now there are some of you saying….”well, I’m to busy to do that”. Don’t worry…you can do your part too anytime during the day as the drop off site is conveniently opened 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. For more information about how to get involved in recycling efforts with the City visit the Solid Waste and Recycling page on this website.

NW Arkansas under the Green lime light….

Notable for its natural beauty, NW Arkansas is home to a growing sustainability development. The city of Fayetteville recognizes the importance of moving forward with the sustainability concept and adopts six areas of focus to bring about a change. These areas include: ecosystem services, community and advocacy, land use and planning, public health,resource efficiency and conservation, and  sustainable economy.  Throughout the course of this blog we will look into how each of these areas continue to develop towards raising the standard of living and  making NW Arkansas a eco friendly place for all.

Yet the city is not the only one making progress, the University of Arkansas Walton College has also made a commitment to the development of sustainable energy.  One student organization on campus is doing its part to help the city of Fayetteville go green. The U of A Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team put on its third installment of project lights on Friday at the Lewis Plaza. Project Lights, which stands for lighting initiative giving hope through sustainability, helps provide and install C.F.L. light bulbs for Fayetteville housing authorities in hopes of loweing their electricity consumption and waste from normal light bulbs. These services alone have helped the City of Fayetteville save over $69,000. The project’s director, Morgan Stellpflug says, “this is not only a way of protecting the environment, but also a way to make a difference in the lives of others.”

These are small but efficient contributions towards increasing a reciprocal  relationship between improving living conditions and protecting the environment.