The Best — and Worst — of Green in 2008

Everybody loves lists!  Well, OK, perhaps that’s just me…but nonetheless, there are some good ones out there related to energy efficiency and sustainability in 2008.  For Time Magazine’s best, click here:

Time Magazine’s Top 10 Green Stories

For the worst, here’s an edited excerpt from American Public Media’s 2008 Greenwashes of the Year:

Fiji Water’s new green campaign: Yes, shipping water in container ships from a pristine aquifer in paradise is somehow green.

Big Three CEOs Drive Hybrids to DC: Taking a more economical and less carbon-intensive mode of travel on the second trip was an obvious choice, after the roasting they got for taking private jets. However, anyone who has done serious carbon footprint analysis on their travel has learned one thing — there’s not much difference in CO2 per mile, unless you up your passengers per vehicle.

A Greener Apple? – Don’t eat that apple. Despite previous commitments to phase out the use of these chemicals by year’s end, it appears that the latest 3G iPhone’s ingredients include polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardants (BFR). Sony Ericsson and Nokia have PVC & BFR-free product lines.

GM’s “gas friendly to gas free” campaign: One of the companies begging for money from American taxpayers spends far more on its SUVs than on investing in fuel-efficient vehicles. And like its brethren, it continues to spend millions opposing CAFE standards.

For the complete list, click here:

2008’s Greenwashes of the Year

Whether you agree or disagree with these choices, one thing’s for certain:  consumer confusion around what’s green and what’s not.  Shelton Group will be doing its part to clear up that confusion in 2009, creating messaging that educates in an engaging/compassionate/understanding way (as opposed to some green marketing that comes off a bit blaming and holier than thou), and motivating mainstream consumers to make sustainable choices.