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A new report out on greenwash – the Greenwash Guide USA – from Futerra Sustainability Communications and Business for Social Responsibility finds that:

· Global trust in business is at an all time low even while demand for green grows in the recession:
o Only 13% of people trust advertising and approx 10% across the U.S. and UK trust green claims.
o But 4 out of 5 people are continuing to buy green in the downturn, with 19% buying more.
· Regulators, NGOs and the media are asking tough questions:
o Media coverage on greenwash exploded by 200% between 2006 and 2007, and doubled in 2008 to 2,300 stories.
o The Federal Trade Commission is reviewing its “Green Guides”.
· Futerra’s 10 signs (originally published in the UK in 2008)for how to spot and avoid greenwash are holding true across developed markets.

Lucy Shea, Chief Executive of Futerra, says, “Greenwash is a dangerous beast. It is growing within an already volatile marketplace of low trust in business, but increasing consumer demand for green values, products and services. If greenwash causes consumers to lose all faith in green claims, the green market could come tumbling down.”

“Today's savvy consumers are not just spending their dollars more wisely to save money,” said Diane Osgood, BSR’s Vice President, CSR Strategy. “They want to trust the company from which they are buying goods and services, and honest communications are key. The recent Edelman Trust barometer survey shows that the quality and transparency of information going to the consumer is as important as the quality of the good or service for building customer trust. Our guide helps companies curtail greenwash and build the trust of consumers.”

For more information or interviews, call Kim Hallwood on +44 207 549 4695.

The Greenwash Guide USA follows successful publications in the UK and France, see www.futerra.co.uk.

About Futerra

Futerra is the award winning global communications agency. We have bright ideas, we captivate audiences, build energetic websites one day and grab opinion formers’ attention the next. But the real difference is that Futerra has only ever worked on corporate responsibility. From Microsoft to Newscorp, Royal Dutch Shell to Greenpeace, the United Nations to Ben and Jerry’s, Futerra has built a unique expertise in corporate responsibility and communicating sustainability. We are committed to world class learning in this field; visit www.futerra.co.uk for our other publications.

About BSR

A leader in corporate responsibility since 1992, BSR works with its global network of more than 250 member companies to develop sustainable business strategies and solutions through consulting, research, and cross-sector collaboration. With six offices in Asia, Europe, and North America, BSR uses its expertise in the environment, human rights, economic development, and governance and accountability to guide global companies toward creating a just and sustainable world. Visit www.bsr.org for more information.

Kim Hallwood

Read our latest publication that's got people talking, the Greenwash Guide USA.
http://www.futerra.co.uk/news/312

Futerra Sustainability Communications Ltd
www.futerra.co.uk

* U.S. ahead of China in emissions, adjusted for trade

* Americans, Australians, Canadians top list

By Alister Doyle, Environment Correspondent

OSLO, July 22 (Reuters) - The United States is by far the biggest greenhouse gas emitter ahead of China if consumers in rich nations are given responsibility for energy used to make imported goods, a researcher said on Wednesday.

Greenhouse gases, including by factories making goods such as cars or televisions for export, usually count towards the total of the country where they are made. Such data indicate that China has overtaken the United States as top emitter.

From Energy Independence for North America – Transition to the Hydrogen Economy, U.S. Department of Energy:

The long term vision to achieve energy independence is the transition to a hydrogen economy. However, hydrogen is not a true energy source, it is an “energy carrier” similar to a battery where energy can be stored. Hydrogen will need to be extracted from hydrocarbon fuels or from the electrolysis of water. Both of these processes require the expenditure (input) of energy to produce pure hydrogen.

How much hydrogen is needed by the transportation sector? The EIA estimates that by 2025, about 13 million barrels of oil equivalent per day would be needed to supply the energy needs of all light-duty gasoline highway vehicles (cars and light trucks). Assuming efficiencies in the hydrogen production chain as reported in literature [18] and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles achieving double the fuel efficiency of gasoline internal combustion engines, 647 thousand tons of hydrogen per day would be needed.