It’s no secret that, in recent years, those in the marketing industry have harnessed the power of the word “green.” In a fervent attempt to avoid guilty consciences, consumers have flocked to purchase products that dub themselves as eco-friendly or green. Nowadays, one can find "green" laundry detergent, "green" beverages, and "green" meat in most neighborhood grocery stores.
But as we begin Living Green month here at CultureMap, we think it’s important to clarify what "green" really means.
The central premise behind “going green” is obviously reducing environmental impact. However, there are no regulated standards for what qualifies a product as green, allowing corporations to sometimes mislead consumers. For example, a company may eliminate one harmful chemical involved in the manufacture of a laundry detergent, and cover the bottle in green labeling. However, there may still be a number of other harmful chemicals in the detergent. It’s important to look at such products with a discriminating eye; otherwise, you may end up paying extra money for no particular reason.
Another important aspect of going green is buying local businesses and products. For example, if you head over to the newly-opened Revival Market and buy a tomato that was grown a few hours outside of Houston on an organic farm, you’re buying green, as opposed to buying a tomato that was grown in Mexico. That’s because less fuel was used transporting the tomato to the store, and the small farm it came from most likely didn’t use pesticides and other harmful products.
Going green isn’t just about laundry detergent and tomatoes: One can live a green lifestyle at home or with the clothes purchased and worn. This month, we’ll be highlighting countless local products and businesses that are truly green, and tips for green living.
Do you have any questions on what it means to go green or green ideas you think we should cover this month? Send us an e-mail at houston@culturemap.com.
