Green: The New Black?

By erinloechner

With so many organizations and retailers claiming their stake of sustainability, at what point do we consider the effects of the ongoing green living trend?

On one hand, I'm amazed and so grateful for all of the coverage (both nationally AND regionally) the ecological boost has brought on. We are responsible for our world and the nature of our lifestyles. Only we can lobby for cleaner air, reduced waste and a safer environment.

Still, I can't help but flash back to Lance Armstrong's LIVESTRONG wrist bands. One man suddenly reinvented the color yellow and behold- the rubber tagline rested on the wrists of every high-school student and beyond.

I recall an article being published in the Times of the cult following of Lance Armstrong. Such a wide range of demographics flocking to one accessory was unheard of. The reason? Killer marketing and a relatable icon.

Save the icon, green living seems to be headed for a new cult following. With so many businesses and organizations riding the coattail of an 'eco-friendly' marketing campaign, where do we draw the line? At what point do we, as consumers, argue that a recycling bin in a business' office does not qualify as an eco-friendly lifestyle?

Green has led the newsstands for four months now, causing Vanity Fair, Elle, W and even Playboy to announce an annual "green issue" stance. While the coverage is good, at what point does the shade of green turn from a lush forest to a dollar bill?

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May 06, 2007

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HillaryJohnson

May 08, 2007

I work for a green website, Building Green TV, and when I started four months ago, we felt we were at the leading edge of the green curve...By the time we launched the site last week, we seemed to be lodged firmly in the middle of the pack. As a consumer, I am personally experiencing a bit of green fatigue--a certain jaded, desperate hostility ("Aieee! Enough already!") at the overflow of green media. I don't know if Green is the new Black, I think it's worse than that--it's more like Green is the new JLo.

I agree with Erika that any greening of our supply chain is good, whatever the motivation. But I share your concern that there is way too much hyperbole in our chatter of the moment, and that there's a risk we over-saturated consumers will become complacent, and relax our demand for real solutions. There's a great decade-old article by the New York Times columnist John Tierney that argues essentially that we are so inordinately proud of our recycling efforts we almost refuse to consider other ways of improving our planetary hygiene. Most people who read that article hate it, because it goes against recycling orthodoxy, but I for one think anything that has an orthodoxy needs to be gone against.

erika

May 07, 2007

I'm really confused here Erin? I don't understand why you would not want a large company to partake in the green "movement"? I can see how this would feel like simply a trend right now but I just can't imagine that once a company or individual has decided to make a conscience effort to change that they somehow would go back on ther word once the "trend" has worn off.

If Walmart wants to sell kids pajamas that are made out of organic cotton then I am all for it. It doesn't sound like much to the average Joe, but when you consider that cotton crops are the second most insectisided crops next to peanuts, and how much of an impact Walmart has on our planet right now, then I say Bring It On!

I don't see myself as a hippy at all! But I do seek out ways to avoid trashing the planet and everyday is a new discovery, like switching what type of laundry soap I use, or finding a use for and old Bic pen. If a magazine wants to promote eco-friendly ideas then that will appeal to me much more than just the usual blah blah blah the fashion and design magazines have to offer.