• by Jacquelyn A. Ottman , August 17, 2011

Everyone lauds eco-labels being put forth by such sustainability leaders as Timberland, HP and Levi's for transparency and commitment, but are they really all that useful to consumers? Likely not. These labels may be informative and project credibility, but their usefulness can -- and must -- be taken up a notch.

An eco-label's greatest value is not its ability to simply convey environmental stewardship; rather, an eco-label's worth lies in how clearly it relates green qualities to "consumer-useful" information. Labels with such information put the practical, valuable aspects of a product's environmental attributes front and center. Such labels allow consumers to quantify savings or other sources of added value over the course of a product's entire lifecycle.

Almost every eco-label up until this point has fallen short of this goal -- except for the new EPA fuel-economy label, that is. In terms of consumer relevance, the EPA Fuel Economy label sets the bar for a future of eco-labels that motivate rather than simply educate.

Yes, this EPA label can be applauded for its highly thorough information on greenhouse gas and smog ratings, but its real value lies in its ability to show consumers at the point of sale how much money they can save by buying a greener car. Thus, this label's most consumer-useful information is the data on estimated annual fuel costs and the fuel savings projected over five years of the car's ownership.

However ironic it may seem for a green label, this latter information will likely shift more car sales than the environmental data that's provided due to its practicality (It's okay to sneak green past consumers, folks.)

 

It's the planets, babies and daisies thing all over again.
If our eco-labels boast only of "planet-saving" attributes, their allure will be short-lived and their impact will be limited. In a marketplace proliferated by vague, repetitive green claims, it is no longer enough to merely explain benefits to the planet.

Green marketing means enhancing product quality across the board. That translates into additional product benefits and helping consumers interact with their environment in new ways. Saving money, bettering one's health, or lengthening a product's lifespan are all consumer-useful attributes that eco-labels must depict explicitly. Only in doing so will our eco-labels engender stronger motivation to change consumption habits -- the goal all along.

So, what can other green communicators learn from this?
Live and learn. I have already commended the following companies' eco-labels, but the EPA's new fuel-economy label introduced in May shows me these companies could do even better.

• Timberland's Green Index is a watershed mark in transparency, but it could include more consumer-useful information. Looking at the Green Index with a consumer useful lens make me want to see estimates on how long the boots will last (durability) and whether or not Timberland provides a repair/rebuild service akin to Allen Edmonds, the fancy men's shoe maker. Consumers must be able to quantify benefits and relate green qualities to personal benefits.

• HP's EcoHighlights label sports a number of laudable environmental accolades their printers have earned, but at the end of the day, consumers might be more interested in how that eco-information translates into relevant benefits such as ease of double-sided printing, life expectancy and costs per printed page.

• I initially fell in love with the "Levi's Care Instructions for Our Planet" label and heartily congratulate Levi's for including it on their jeans. However, I now believe that consumers would follow the instructions (and the planet would be better served) if the primary benefit was making one's jeans look good longer.

Think and work holistically
Ensuring consumer-useful eco-data will take a de-siloing of sustainability and marketing responsibilities. Only when consumer, environmental and technical advocates roll up their sleeves at one table will relevant communication be developed.