Is the environmental trend “sustainable”? To be so, marketers mad about the mantra might want to make sure their customers know what it means to maintain.

In conducting its Project Green study, BuzzBack, New York, found that only about one in three people were “familiar” or “very familiar” with the term sustainable and its meaning.

“It’s this huge buzz term, but it’s such a client term,” said Carol Fitzgerald, president of the market research firm. “So maybe there’s a disconnect with consumers.”

The Project Green study was conducted among 1,141 U.S. and U.K. respondents “to uncover behavior, attitudes and emotions” about environmental concerns. Overall, BuzzBack didn’t find many differences among the peoples living across the pond: A little more than half of U.S. and U.K. residents agreed that “the environment is the most important issue” (55% vs. 51%), and 19% of each said they are “willing to make sacrifices (convenience, comfort, cost savings, etc.) in order to support the environment.” U.K. residents were more into recycling paper and walking rather than driving short distances, while Americans were more obsessed with buying recycled paper and hybrid cars.

U.S. vs. U.K. consumers who:
• Recycle paper: 71% vs. 87%
• Purchase recycled paper: 55% vs. 47%
• Walk rather than drive short journeys: 36% vs. 56%
• Own or lease a hybrid: 4% vs. 1%

In a creativity-enhancing exercise, participants were asked to choose from 120 images to build an “e-Collage” to illustrate their personal vision of what it means to be green. According to BuzzBack, this tool helped respondents be more articulate and personal in describing their feelings: Those who used collages were more than twice as wordy/expressive in their answers than those who were not given the visual prompts (37 words vs. 16 words on average), while comments from the latter group tended to be more succinct and literal. The images picked most often to represent “being green” included pictures of eco-friendly icons (such as the Energy Star logo gracing efficient appliances), unspoiled environments (a la forests) and animals (pandas and baby seals).

By Becky Ebenkamp

What is organic?                                                                                                             

Organic refers to the way agricultural products—food and fiber—are grown and processed. Organic food production is based on a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers. Organic foods are minimally processed without artificial ingredients, preservatives, or irradiation to maintain the integrity of the food.

Is there an official definition of “organic”?                                                                 

The following excerpt is from the definition of “organic” that the National Organic Standards Board adopted in April 1995: “Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.”

What does “Certified Organic” mean?                                                                   

“Certified Organic” means the item has been grown according to strict uniform standards that are verified by independent state or private organizations. Certification includes inspections of farm fields and processing facilities, detailed record keeping, and periodic testing of soil and water to ensure that growers and handlers are meeting the standards which have been set.

Can any type of agricultural product become certified organic?                    

Yes, any agricultural product that meets third-party or state certification requirements may be considered organic. Organic foods are becoming available in an impressive variety, including pasta, prepared sauces, frozen juices, frozen meals, milk, ice cream and frozen novelties, cereals, meat, poultry, breads, soups, chocolate, cookies, beer, wine, vodka and more. These foods, in order to be certified organic, have all been grown and processed according to organic standards and must maintain a high level of quality. Organic fiber products, too, have moved beyond T-shirts, and include bed and bath linens, tablecloths, napkins, cosmetic puffs, feminine hygiene products, and men’s, women’s and children’s clothing in a wide variety of styles.

Source: Organic Trade Association