Opinions on the recent popularity of eco/organic stuff

[gayu]

As far as furniture goes, if you need new then Ikea have FSC credentials as have some other retailers, and if you choose any furniture carefully buy with a view to pass it on to others when you're gone and get good solid stuff.

I have a mixture of Ikea and solid reclaimed oak, which works for me. Also 2nd hand oak cabinets and drawer units, all awaiting restoration, and being used in the meantime, from a shop called secondhandtiques in Darlington.

I agree that large household items are difficult. I wish the repair industry was well developed enough to fix fridges and washers and cookers etc.

If you pick an electrical item that will use less energy, it's greener than it's more expensive-to-live-with alternative, and better for your pocket to boot.

[barleyandben]

I agree it is becoming more popular, I might even go so far as saying "fashionable", but no matter how the eco word is spread,surely the more people that know about it is a benefit,even if its lots of little changes?

[Green Beginnings]

It is indeed rather sad that the repair industry does not exist like it used to. Things are now too expensive to repair when compared with the cost of buying a new one. I must say though that things are no longer built to last as they were many years ago and this is probably on purpose by the manufacturers so that we have to keep replacing white goods every 5 years or so to keep their pockets filled!!!

[ecoki]

TerraChoice did a report on this, and we wrote an article about it. I really recommend checking out the report - an interesting perspective on "greenwashing".
Beware of greenwashing and false claims

[barleyandben]

I haven't heard of "greenwashing"before, but having read your write up, doesn't this just equal lying? (greenwashing,not your write up lol)Off to read the full report....

[Greenbean]

Yes, it's lying - just, a very specific kind of lying. Many mainstream corporations, aware of the popularity of eco-friendly products, try to find a way to attract environmentally aware customers without doing the actual work required. According to Wikipedia, the term was coined in light of hotels making a big ostentatious deal out of encouraging guests to reuse their towels rather than get a new one every day, as this supposedly saved energy, but the energy this saved was minuscule compared to the waste they were guilty of by not recycling their recyclable trash, for intsance. So the hotels were increasing their profit by 1) not paying for as much housekeeping as before, 2) attracting customers based on their "green pactices", and 3) not doing anything eco-friendly that would actually cost money and effort to do.

Anyway, the Wikipedia page is here: Greenwash - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It's good reading. I've only summarized the tiniest bit of it here.

[ecoki]

Greenbean, thanks for responding to them before I had a chance to, and great explanation!

[barleyandben]

Having read the articles I'm amazed that this goes on, thanks so much for explaining it.