Staff Blog

Go Lite Green

Last week, "Lite" Green went the way of Lite Beer, transforming from a marketing tag into an epithet, if The New York Times and Time Out New York have anything to say about the matter. Paul Hawkens levels the charge in the NYT that "green consumerism is an oxymoronic phrase," citing 10,000 sq. ft. "green" homes and eco-fashion shows promoting clothing with built-in obsolescence. And organic farmer Michael Ableman notes that it may be better to buy one pair of regular jeans than five pairs made from organic cotton. The attack isn't by any means unanimous--spokespeople for both Greenpeace and Rainforest Alliance note that the broader appeal of light green over the more stringent shades of environmentalism has brought in many more people who will contribute in their own way. But if light green is to mean anything, and if those who practice it aren't to be shunned by the more chlorophyll-saturated, the term needs some definition.

So does light green mean "doing the bare minimum" as Time Out New York put it ever so bluntly? Au contraire, The Green Guide would suggest that the light green, or LG, approach, is:

1) Incrementalist: Rather than trying to change everything at once, LGs make significant changes gradually, starting with the big, easy ones such as switching to green power, moving on to carpooling or taking the bus to work, and then saving up for more expensive yet necessary items such as a water-saving clothes washer or a dual-flush toilet.
2) Curious: LGs seek the best information about a subject, looking for certification from established third-parties, such as the EPA's Energy Star program, the USDA's national organic program or TransFair USA's Fair Trade Certified label. At the same time, they are also willing to try new products, seeking the highest quality goods with the least impact on the environment, whether they're buying a bar of soap or a remodeling a kitchen.
3) Critical: Greenwashing or making false claims to environmental benefits is a constant problem in the product world and greens of every shade need to ask questions before purchasing. Rather than the rushing to the stores, LGs investigate reuse and do-it-yourself options. And if a product turns out not to work well, green consumers need to speak up both with the retailer and the manufacturer.

Light greens do seek to maintain their current lifestyle or increase their prosperity, a theme even an LG skeptic like Worldchanging.com's Alex Steffan can get behind (and his term, "bright green," may be even better). But, far from being self-involved narcissists, LGs seek to raise the prosperity of those developing nations as well. Yes, we won't shop our way out of global warming or watershed contamination. However, the green industrial revolution championed by Thomas Friedman among others won't happen without the light greens there to pick the best goods and demand improvements.

© The Green Guide, 2008

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