Screw Light bulbs
Donna Green and Liz Minchin
ISBN 9781742580685
AUD$32.95

Attempting to navigate through the myriad of facts and figures pertaining to what is causing and what can be done about climate change is a business fraught with confusion, pitfalls and frustration.

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There have been a variety of phone apps released that claim green credentials, guides to products, carbon emission trackers and much more. Having recently acquired a shiny new iPhone I was intrigued to find out what was available, I was pleased to find a fair amount of genuinely helpful and well put together apps, the only (major for us) drawback was that pretty much every single one was US only. Still, for any of our international visitors, this post may be helpful and personally, I’ve decided to contact some of the developers and ask about being involved in creating localised versions of their applications.

Good guide
www.goodguide.com
A slick, (seemingly) well researched app with plenty of information on 1000s of products, their nutritional value and ethical scores.

Locavore
www.enjoymentland.com/locavore
An app that tells you what food is currently in season in your area.

Green Meter
www.hunter.pairsite.com/greenmeter
An app that evaluates your driving style and choice of vehicle, advising you on how to become a more efficient driver. (Worldwide)

iRecycle
www.earth911.com/iphone/
Based upon your current location, or a manually entered location, iRecycle tells you where your closest recycling points are.

Greenpeace Tissue guide
www.3rdwhale.com/apps
An environmental guide to facial and toilet tissues.

3rdWhale Premium
www.3rdwhale.com/apps
A GPS aware green directory.

Carticipate
www.carticipate.com/
Described as a ‘car pooling’ social network, Carticipate is basically an app to post journey’s you’re making or need to make and match up with appropriate drivers / passengers.

EcoRio
www.ecorio.org
An Android application that keeps tabs on your location and choices of transport and keeps a tally on how much you owe in Carbon Offsets.

We’ve reported on a few cases of ‘Greenwash’ in the past and it’s something that we’re particularly annoyed by. That cashing in on consumer’s fears and ignorance to sell them over priced and under achieving products.

Obviously we’re not alone as I came across an entire site dedicated to increasing awareness and spreading the word (in a humorous way) about ‘The Sins of Greenwash’!

Enjoy!

www.sinsofgreenwashing.org

Well… Probably not, but the Australian Association of National Advertisers has agreed to proceed with the development and implementation of an Environmental Claims Advertising and Marketing Code to protect consumers from claims of supposed environmental friendliness of sustainability.

“This Code of Practice will provide the necessary guidance to advertisers and marketers to ensure that the claims they are making are accurate and honest, and will serve to increase consumer confidence in environmental claims made in advertising and marketing to the benefit of the environment, consumers and industry”

said Scott McClellan, Chief Executive of the AANA. The code is due to come into affect in 2010, so not long to wait…

I saw this promotion at a certain bank in the city the other night and had to take a photo. Awareness raising and education is important, and yes, I know most people need bright colour to take notice. But did they really need a huge telly and the lights on at night?

ACCC to probe green beer claims
Julian Lee
August 25, 2008

A LEADING brewer’s attempts to cash in on demand for green products has landed it in hot water after marketing claims that its beer is better for the environment were challenged.
The competition watchdog has been asked to investigate ads calling Cooper’s Australia’s greenest beer and encouraging drinkers to walk to the pub to save greenhouse gas emissions.
The company’s failure to back the claims with hard evidence has prompted consumer organisation Choice to complain to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that the ads — which use the line “big beer, tiny footprint” — are false and misleading.

The move comes as advertisers and environmentalists release guidelines to stem a flow of greenwash, the term used to describe marketing that overstates a product’s benefits to the environment.

In the past year, Woolworths, Saab, LG, Goodyear tyres and Origin Energy have all been accused of greenwashing.

Last week the environmental organisation Total Environment Centre issued a 10-point checklist for marketers.

Among other things, it asks companies to back claims with proof and to resist overstating environmental claims in order to gain a commercial advantage. This week the advertisers’ association will release a draft of its self-regulatory code for public consultation. It is not expected to go as far as the centre’s checklist in stripping hyperbole from ads for green products.

Both these join the ACCC’s own guidelines as well as those issued by Choice.
Environmentalists acknowledge that the rise in greenwash allegations could stymie demand for green or ethical products.

Coopers did not return calls.
From The Age

You can find out more about efforts to thwart greenwashing by the Total Environment Centre here