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In an October 26, 2009 post, I introduced the concept of greenblushing. Since then, a number of people have confirmed for me that it’s real and growing.
And it can have serious repercussions – limiting companies’ ability to capitalize on investment intangibles, market and customer acceptance, and employee goodwill that are inherent in their sustainability efforts.
As a reminder, I’ve defined greenblushing as “limited or no information disseminated by an organization so as to understate or ignore its commitment to and actions on environmental responsibility.” It’s walking the walk but being too unsure and shy to talk the talk. It’s roughly the opposite of greenwashing.
Symptoms include downplaying or not communicating your sustainability achievements, and believing you need “all the answers” before you can talk about your progress and the ongoing journey. The fact is full-fledged participation in sustainability indexes and sustainability reporting is a high hurdle that is dominated by large, high-profile, public companies.
Proactive communications on such an important issue should not be a high hurdle. And I don’t think companies should be deterred by people who question their motives (e.g. profiting from their efforts). In fact, shouldn’t we be celebrating the cases that enrich all Three Ps?
Next week, to continue to try to get the word out, I’ll be at the Sustainability Symposium sponsored by Baldwin-Wallace College in suburban Cleveland. The March 1-2 event is free and open to the public and I hope to see you there. If not, I hope to see you here and @ThreePs on Twitter, helping to keep this conversation going.
An uneventful Copenhagen summit, the sluggish economy, and lingering questions about the propriety of data collection and analysis have turned concerns about global warming into more of a punch line than a national priority. For some people, the series of snowstorms to hit the Southeast is the clincher.
Opponents of stricter greenhouse gas emissions rules say the totality of negative forces proves that global warming, and the euphemistic climate change, is not worthy of serious national attention. Supporters of new regulations and international treaties say climate change is still serious business and must be addressed, and not derailed by weather patterns or scientific outliers.
As for me, I find the extremes on both sides of the debate amusing, somewhat misguided, and more than a little dangerous. The all or nothing approach is never sustainable, and that should be the test for any national agenda item, especially this one.
For the latest thinking on the topic, and probably some heated discussion, attend Baldwin-Wallace College’s Sustainability Symposium (free and open to the public) March 1-2 in suburban Cleveland. Featured speakers will include Sen. Sherrod Brown, NOAA senior scientist Dr. Susan Solomon, and Sherwin-Williams CEO Chris Conner. Dix & Eaton is a sponsor.
Super Bowl commercials have a reputation for being funny. Or thought-provoking. Or misguided.
So where does last night’s “Green Police” commercial from Audi fit in? How about outrageous and perhaps dangerous to the very mindset it is trying to benefit from?
In 60 seconds, with millions and millions of people watching, Audi made all environmentalists look like wackos. Ordinary citizens were arrested for crimes such as choosing plastic over paper in the supermarket, throwing batteries and food waste in the trash, and using incandescent light bulbs, plastic bottles and foam cups. For those worried about environmental extremism, this commercial reflects their worst fears.
By the end of the 60 seconds, only the driver of the Audi A3 TDI clean diesel car avoided the Green Police. It’s the “Green Car of the Year” awarded by Green Car Journal.
USA Today readers have rated the commercial the sixth-best out of 63 commercials – yes, it even finished ahead of the E-Trade babies.
Sure, it’s just a fleeting commercial, and perhaps people thought it was creative, entertaining and memorable. But I think a good part of its success comes from us perceiving, and being concerned about, environmental extremism – and this commercial gives the police an eco-Nazi persona. I’m not sure how stirring up that sentiment helps the Green Car of the Year. And at least one other blogger, the UK’s Faye Sunderland, agrees with me.
