The Spectacle Blog
The New York Times reports today that manufacturers of eco-friendly products have seen their sales decline compared to the products that environoiacs would like to carry mandatory skull-and-crossbones warning labels. The newspaper blames the difficult economy for consumers’ avoidance of “Green” products. For example:
Sales of Green Works have fallen to about $60 million a year, and those of other similar products from major brands like Arm & Hammer, Windex, Palmolive, Hefty and Scrubbing Bubbles are sputtering. “Every consumer says, ‘I want to help the environment, I’m looking for eco-friendly products,’ ” said David Donnan, a partner in the consumer products practice at the consulting firm A. T. Kearney. “But if it’s one or two pennies higher in price, they’re not going to buy it. There is a discrepancy between what people say and what they do.”
Ahem — please show me where the “Green” products cost just one or two cents more, because it will be the first time I’ve seen it. And it’s not only because eco-friendly and Energy Star products cost more that they sell poorly; it’s also because they work like crap. And they are dangerous too.
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http://spectator.org/blog/2011/04/22/its-not-just-that-green-is-too
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Big Jim| 4.22.11 @ 2:30PM
I go out of my way to avoid buying "green" products because of A-holes promoting them.
USSAlabama| 4.23.11 @ 2:23PM
Me too, Big Jim.
I was 'green' way before /they/ started calling that.
Now I avoid giving one PENNY of my hard earned $$ to anything that has that reference on it!
Connie I| 4.24.11 @ 6:01AM
Right on, right on. Me sainted mother, a graduate of PennState's home ec program, was also Green before it was in. She was also a firm believer in the obligation of the consumer to get his money's worth; to use it up, wear it out, wash it and use it again.
I am forever thankful for her legacy, which included calculating unit pricing and never paying the "extra penny". (I tried to think of an exception, but no, she advocated being strict with ones principles, And interest.)
GCTIII| 4.22.11 @ 2:54PM
When I have to call a haz mat team to clean up the so called green light bulbs, I am not going ot use them. Not to mention they are more like 2 to 3 dollars more then a conventional bulb. LOL my wife bought cases of conventional bulbs after reading the states warning on their clean up.
USSAlabama| 4.23.11 @ 2:21PM
A couple years ago my son knocked his desk lamp over and broke one -- HUGE, huge problem!
The "instructions" were a little different then too . . . hmmm, I'm wondering why?
Most people, even -and especially- those who most welcome them, do not know that you cannot simply toss a spent one into the trash can.
These eco-greenies are filling the landfills with these things.
Thom| 4.22.11 @ 6:04PM
I’ve been driving what would have been considered “green” since the mid 1960s but wouldn’t pass the “green” label today because it doesn’t have a premium price tag up front and no cost savings in use over its life. That’s the problem with “green” today; it is really “red” on the inside and appears “green” only on the outside. Common sense, something in vast shortage in Washington DC and most college campuses can reduce the use of just about anything and save money at the same time but the whole “green” campaign today is devoid of “common sense” and stuffed full of leftist control freak political agenda. In fact the whole thrust of the environmental movement seems to be on forcing the most inefficient use of resources and the highest possible cost which will continue to not be in synch with economic reality. The center piece of the environmental movement has always been about population control and ultimately its reduction to levels those at the top can control thus don’t expect any common sense measures that make sense on main street while actually saving any real “green” backs.
Thom| 4.22.11 @ 6:05PM
I’ve been driving what would have been considered “green” since the mid 1960s but wouldn’t pass the “green” label today because it doesn’t have a premium price tag up front and no cost savings in use over its life. That’s the problem with “green” today; it is really “red” on the inside and appears “green” only on the outside. Common sense, something in vast shortage in Washington DC and most college campuses can reduce the use of just about anything and save money at the same time but the whole “green” campaign today is devoid of “common sense” and stuffed full of leftist control freak political agenda. In fact the whole thrust of the environmental movement seems to be on forcing the most inefficient use of resources and the highest possible cost which will continue to not be in synch with economic reality. The center piece of the environmental movement has always been about population control and ultimately its reduction to levels those at the top can control thus don’t expect any common sense measures that make sense on main street while actually saving any real “green” backs.
Margie| 4.22.11 @ 9:50PM
Well done, Mr. Paul. I must say I enjoyed his skewering of that woman (or really, what she represents).
Now if only he weren't nutty on foreign policy and how he views the entire issue.
This still makes him null & void IMHO.
Mark | 4.23.11 @ 2:06PM
The eco movement has indeed ALWAYS been an outpost for far leftist types. If one really, really listens to these freaks, it's not just mother-gaia they're 'supporting' their stance is decidedly anti-human. Their policies almost always result in a deficit to humans being the dominant species. They would relegate us to cages, oh wait they already have, by 'protecting' vast amounts of land only for 'wildness'. See California. I've noticed a LOT of the nonsensical eco-friendly products increasingly on clearance in retail outlets. It's a great consumer scam. Merely putting that dopey leaf and the right words on the same product, they command a ludicrous price. The left can pay the price and drive home fweeling better about themselves. The left perpetually 'feels' guilty about something, that's their stock and trade, and it's wearing thin with the rest of us.
USSAlabama| 4.23.11 @ 2:29PM
Hate to say that the anti-human issue is sort of old news.
These "freaks" (they are) would LOVE complete human eradication. Kinda like John Holdren (White House Science and Technology czar) saying that we should put birth control in the drinking water.
wodiej| 4.25.11 @ 7:31AM
I purchased some EF recycled trash bags and they split apart as soon as I opened them to put in my trash can. I am not going to pay twice as much for something that caters to liberal whims.