The Red, White, and Green

[Watch video on Smarter Life Better Planet website]

Earth Day is one week from today, and I have to say: It’s been a bit disheartening to see what began in earnest as a call for environmental action turn into just another Hallmark holiday. I won’t be a jerk and call out specific companies, but in the past month-plus, I’ve received Earth Day-related product pitches for everything from recycled pens to a melatonin/vitamin blend. It’s great to see green become mainstream, but come on! We’re better than this.

We don’t need all this stuff. And calling the stuff “eco” doesn’t make the stuff OK.

Thank you to the folks at Haier for inviting me as a speaker for their Smarter Life Better Planet campaign, which is featuring videos from 30 environmental thought leaders in 30 days — including No Impact Man Colin Beavan and Earth Hour co-founder Andy Ridley — as a lead-up to Earth Day. (I do see the irony here, since Haier makes “stuff”; but much of it falls into the “necessary” category. Well, for modern life, anyway.)

–Jennifer Grayson

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