What is Greenwashing?

Contractors should also be diligent when selecting “green” products to use in their projects. “Third-party testing is a must,” says O’Brien. Often, the marketing representative for the company selling a product as green isn’t the best source of accurate information. Instead, the builder should consider speaking to the technical department and ask to see the material safety data sheet to explore the green qualities of the product in question. Where indoor air quality is a big component of green building, the potential toxicity of a product must be taken seriously.

Looking for a credible ecolabel is another option. Energy Star, WaterSense, and GreenGuard are just a few of the ecolabels one can look for in a product; these three labels designate a product as energy-efficient, water-efficient, or beneficial to indoor air quality, three critical ingredients in any green building system. A longer list of ecolabels can be found at ecolabelindex.com, and buildinggreen.com features a growing list of tested and reviewed green products specific to the building industry.

A little education can go a long way in avoiding the greenwashing that is infiltrating the building industries. Professionals and consumers owe it to themselves, the industry, and the planet to take proper steps to keep from being a greenwashing villain or victim.