Do you ever get tired of the spin, of being lied to, or worse yet, of being misled in a strategic way?
It is popular now for the media to talk Green. To that end, advertisers will do anything they can to jump on the Green bandwagon.
In this episode you will learn how to spot Green spin and Green washing from a mile away. Join me in this hour long podcast as I speak with Mary Burrows, Head Chemist at Thetford Corporation.
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Mary Burrows
Guest Intro/Interview
Our guest today is Mary Burrows. Mary is the Manager of Chemical Development at Thetford Corporation, the world’s leading maker of portable and permanent RV toilets, and the holding tank deodorants and related additive products used in and on RVs. Mary received her Bachelor’s degree from Albion College in 1980, with majors in Chemistry and English. She has worked at Thetford for over twenty years, and spend much of her time researching and developing RV deodorant and cleaning products. She is a recognized expert in the area of treating holding tank waste and the deodorants used in RVs, and is called upon repeatedly for her knowledge and experience in this field.
EPA: Design for the Environment
In a study conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, and summarized in Packaging Digest in Feb 2009:
“Four out of five people say they are still buying green products and services today – which sometimes cost more – even in the midst of a U.S. recession.”
“Half of the 1,000 people surveyed say they are buying just as many green products now as before the economic downturn, while 19% say they are buying more green products.
Fourteen percent say they are buying fewer environmentally green products.”
“About one in three say they don’t know how to tell if green claims are true. One in 10 consumers blindly trust green product claims.”
“Consumers are verifying green claims by reading the packaging (24%) and turning to research (going online, reading studies, 17%).”
In an article from Brandweek in Feb 2009, quoting from a study by Mintel:
“A $17.7 million business in 2003, the Chicago-based market research company says the green cleaning category quadrupled sales to $64.5 million by 2008. by 2013, Mintel anticipates eco-friendly cleaners will do an astounding $623 million in business and account for 30 percent of the household cleaners market by then (compared with 3 percent last year)”.
“Green Works brought green cleaning products into mainstream supermarkets, which have seen green sales increase more than 170% from 2007-08 and market share rise 16 percentage points.”
As you can see green is growing rapidly. Many manufacturers want to claim their products are green. The only way to know for certain if a product is green is to look for products that are certified or recognized green by a third party.
Green Washing
7 Sins of Green Washing
Mary Burrows Final Thoughts
Buried Logic Closing by Host Brian Brawdy
To learn more about Mary Burrows and the Thetford Corporation, please visit www.Thetford.com
Contact us at Buried Logic:
Brian Brawdy: BrianBrawdy.com
Michael Mauro: MauroMedia.com
Brian Brawdy
Jerry, I couldn’t agree with you more.
Thanks for the comment.
Brian Brawdy
jerry
The biggest problem with green is the rules are so vague on many of the products, that claim green. When u try to do rite you’re not sure you are or not. Jerry