The Red, White, and Green

You haven’t really made it until you’ve been properly parodied, or so the saying goes. Well, congratulations, Green — you’ve officially hit the big time!

In all seriousness, though, this hilarious video from The Onion does draw attention to the ever-growing trend of greenwashing. It stands to reason that as environmental issues continue to seep their way into the consciousness of the American public, more and more companies will try to reposition themselves as eco-friendly in order to increase revenues, whether or not their products are, in fact, green. 

The news last week of Starbucks’ plans to open “eco-friendly” stores, for example, begs the question of what it actually takes to justify slapping a green label on a company or product. Sure, the new store has rustic appeal, with a coffee bar and cabinets made from renewable materials, but until the company eliminates disposable cups and only offers sustainable coffee, I’m not sure it deserves that label.

Thanks to loyal RWG reader PL for passing along this video.

–Jennifer Grayson

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