Green Misconceptions

As a Realtor, I’ve seen my fair share of “green disinformation” in property detail reports. Example: “Eco-friendly home, with dual pane windows.” HUH?! So, I think it’s important that Realtors and Consumers be aware of Green Misconceptions when purchasing and/or selling real estate.

Here are a few tips that will point you in the right direction, and be sure you take advantage of all the great information, that’s out there, on “green” real estate to be sure you’re never caught on your heels.

“ Environmentally-friendly” – There is no government or official definition for this term. “Environmentally-friendly” is a general term that manufacturers, advertisers and others have used (without regulation or guidance ) to imply that a product or its packaging is in some way beneficial or harmless to the environment. Except for the manufacturer/ marketer of the product, no one verifies this claim. In contrast, the government has officially defined the term “organic.”

“ Sustainability” is another very commonly used term in the “green” industry. It is used to refer to the quality of a product or property, but the term is used very erratically by a wide range of enthusiastic and often well intentioned people. Sustainable development means “a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” When one considers the “life-cycle” or what might be called “ cradle-to-grave”costs benefits of product development, it’s a reasonably complicated equation.

“ Greenwash” is defined as disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public image. The term is commonly used to describe the exaggeration or overstatement of the “green” or “environmentally-friendly” attributes of a product or service, often through marketing and advertising. Typically, greenwash includes general statements like “environmentally friendly,” environmentally-safe,” or “good for the environment.” Another example would be a home, for sale, described as solar when it merely has a good deal of natural light and windows.

Some good references/ resources:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/epp/pubs/products/products.htm
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides links to access purchasing information for products and service categories such as buildings, carpets, cleaners, conferences, copiers, electronics and office supplies.

The Environmentally Preferable Products Database
http://yosemite1.epa.gov/oppt/eppstand2.nsf
A searchable products database

The Consumers Union’s Guide to Environmental Labels
http://www.eco-labels.org
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Trade Commission
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/epp/pubs/claims.htm
This site provides useful information on making environmental marketing claims in business.

Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment or by calling me, toll-free, at 1-800-231-0622.

For information on Mammoth Lakes real estate, please log onto my real estate website at www.easternsierraproperties.com