5 Ways to Avoid Greenwash

1. Read The Label!

The first line of defence, though surprisingly not always as dependable as you'd hope. Be aware that not all the ingredients may be listed in all countries.

However, often there is enough information on the bottle to give you an idea.

Don't rely on your senses to tell you a product is truly environmentally friendly! In other words, don't judge a book by it's cover. There's a lot of products sporting fresh new "green" looks. The only way to really know is to read and be aware of the companies practices (more on that later). There may be one single, certified Fair Trade and Organic ingredient in that shampoo bottle, but it doesn't mean the rest of the ingredients are.

Use your better judgement and common sense.

2. Be Aware of Deliberately Vague Phrasing

Beware of words. Organic. Clean. Green. Herbal. Natural. Eco.

These are dropped all of the time by companies that greenwash products. They are non-specific terms, and while they are misleading, they aren't generally illegal.

Some countries have some legislation on this, and some of the big guys, such as auto companies can get in trouble for using these words.

It's still a tactic used ALL the time. Especially in the cosmetics world.

Misleading consumers by using these words is much like lying by simply not telling the whole truth... It's still lying.

3. Learn About Companies' Other Products and Services

Some bad companies put out good products. They use these products as flagships to market themselves as environmentally responsible, while still making the majority of their profits from their arsenal of non-green products. It saves them money, effort and risk factor, by not having to change their company all that much. So they get the "greenies" and still continue on with their ways. A win-win for them.

We live in a time where there is increasing pressure from consumers on companies to be sustainable. Good. Put more pressure on. Don't buy it unless the WHOLE of the company is responsible.

4. Educate Yourself

What makes a good 'green' product, good?

The internet is a fantastic resource (hey, you made it to this blog didn't you?) Learn about products and their ingredients. Petrochemicals, parabens, surfactants, phosphates. These things are easier to avoid if you know what they are and what they are found in.

Check out the Safe Cosmetics Database. They have some great information on what's in the products you put on your body everyday.

Another excellent site that raises awareness about what it is that we are buying, is The Story of Stuff Project. It's entertaining and educational. No, really. They're great videos.

The more you know, the better. And the best person to teach you is YOU.

5. Report Them!

Spread the word and protect others. Don't underestimate the power of the consumer and word of mouth.

There are some great websites out there dedicated to stopping greenwashing. Some let you post or view advertisements and rate how greenwashed you think they are, and why. Others just bring some awareness to the table and offer suggestions for what you can do, such as writing your local government, or the companies themselves, and expressing your concerns.

An awesome one is Greenpeace's stopgreenwash.org

They deal mostly with the greenwashing practices of the big guys. Oil, Auto, Electricity, Coal, Nuclear, and Forestry.

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The big ride - we made it!

No injuries, no flat tyres and no falling asleep at the handlebars. We finished at the back of the pack, but we got to travel at our own pace, and we stopped for coffee, black swans, and to pick up much needed chocolate bars that had fallen out of other riders pockets.

Here's a pic of us nearing the finish line as promised. Luckily, the photographers hadn't gone home yet and managed to snap a shot of us together. It was a great day, with nice cool weather, and the 60km we rode was a good start to our training for riding across Canada.

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53km bike ride tomorrow in Perth

It may not sound like a long way, but tomorrow Jaime and I are entering a 53km bike ride with thousands of other cyclists around the scenic Swan River in Perth, Western Australia. This will be the longest distance we will have ridden together, so we are both looking forward to it. I'm sure it's going to help us realise how much more there is to do for riding across Canada next year.

However, whoever organised the event must be a morning person, as we have to meet for the race at 6:30 am. We are both worried about falling asleep at the handlebars, as Jaime's band is playing tonight, and I have to drop a friend off at the airport for his 2am flight to Nepal!

We'll post our results after the ride, hopefully with a photo of us crossing the finish line, awake, so stay tuned...

http://www.greatbikeride.com.au/index.php

Nigel and Jaime

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10 Reasons Why I Bike to Work

If you have some reasons why you choose to ride to work not listed below, why not let us know!

1. Goodbye traffic
Living in a city like Perth means lots of traffic, which means it can take a long time to get to work. I found it took me the same time driving a car as it would catching public transport (a bus then a train). But once I started riding to work I realised I was passing the same bus that I used to catch, making my journey to work even faster, and ensuring I can't be late!

2. Money saving
It used to cost me around $3.50 one-way in fuel driving a car and $3.15 to catch public transport to work. Obviously, riding and parking a bike is free, so I'm now saving between $31.50 and $35 per week, which I use to splurge on nice lunches, instead of always scrounging for the cheapest food.

3. Improved fitness
My fitness has definitely improved. My leg muscles have strengthened, and my heart rate continues to drop. Riding to work means you won't have to waste time exercising later on, when there's other things you may be interested in doing. And everyone knows the fitter you feel the more attractive you'll feel for that special someone (ahem...Jaime).

4. Stickin' it to the man
Riding is one of my daily 'stickin' it to the man' events, because I don't want anyone making a cent from my daily commute. As long as I'm helping to bring down the oil giants, I'm happy.

5. The scenic drive
I've designed my adventurous route to take me through the natural parts of Perth as a way of escaping the traffic, sounds and pollution. I ride past 3 beautiful lakes that teem with wildlife, helping me forget about the chaos happening just minutes away from me on the highways.

6. Abundant wildlife
Everyday I notice different wildlife in my area, something you overlook from a bus. I hear bird songs from people's gardens, see lizards running into the grass, and notice the number of ducks change during the season on the lakes. I've made a habit of doing a quick count of the birds on one of the lakes as I pass it, and it's amazing the more and more I see each time.

7. Really helping the environment
Riding a bike means you are releasing ZERO greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It also means one less car is on the road, something we can all appreciate in busy traffic, especially pedestrians and those smaller, confused, animals.

8. Saying hi
Say goodbye to the isolation of being stuck in a car, and hello to all the people you pass on your way to work! Riding gets you talking or just saying hello to fellow riders...how often does that happen when you're a motorist?

9. Endless fun
I feel like a kid again racing down steep hills and jumping off curbs. Riding makes you feel young and exciting, with adventure always awaiting. Each day something interesting happens, and it gives me more to talk about at work or when I make it home.

10. Better smells
On the bus I often had to sit beside people that smelt of body odour, cigarettes or excessive perfumes/deodorants. My bike route takes me through peaceful, quiet streets, where all I can smell is fresh bread in the morning, sea breeze in the afternoon, and the amazing ever present scent of the eucalyptus tree.

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Why we don't use plastic bags

Life and death for the Leatherback Turtle means telling apart a plastic bag from a jellyfish. Let's make it easier for them.

When you think about it, you won't be surprised to find out that we only use plastics bags for a matter of minutes, mainly to carry our groceries from the shop to the car, and from the car into the house.

Then What?

1. Most will spend a millenium breaking down at the dump.

2. Many will get carried off by the wind, ending up in our water or forests.

3. Some will be recycled, used as garbage bags in our homes, or carry other items.

What's Better?

1. Your arms! If you only have a few items, carry them, you'd be surprised how easy it is!

2. A reusable bag (something non-plastic), a backpack, or a basket. We always take a couple of reusable bags with us before shopping, and one reusable bag can hold much more weight than a plastic bag.

3. Paper bags are good and can biodegrade when not choked in plastic, but need trees to be chopped down to make them if they haven't been recycled.

All around the world there are towns, cities, states and countries that have starting banning the use of plastic bags for these reasons. And from what we've seen in the parts of Australia where this is happening, there can be only benefits.

Next time before you shop take a reusable bag with you, and you will save waste, a tree, or even a turtle.

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