Green Inc

The 1990s have seen an extraordinary amount of activity on the environmental front: the emergence of global warming as a serious concern, the successful completion of several environmental treaties, conflicts over trade and the environment, the discovery of the severity of pollution in the former Soviet empire, the greening of the World Bank, and the widespread acknowledgment that industry can make money by pursuing responsible environmental policies. In Green, Inc., award-winning environmental journalist Frances Cairncross delves into these and other topics, focusing her attention on those aspects of environmental issues that have economic implications. She examines the relationship between the environment and industrial competitiveness, international trade, aid to developing countries, energy efficiency, waste management, and economic growth. As environmental editor for The Economist, Cairncross has spent the past five years explaining complicated economic ideas in comprehensible, interesting ways. In Green, Inc., she continues that endeavor, as she explores the implications of three related themes: that economic growth can be combined with environmental protection; that a sense of proportion is needed in evaluating and reacting to environmental threats; and that industry has a vital role in finding solutions to environmental problems.

Going green is the new black for big business. But how real is the climate-friendly revolution that's being advertised? Toyota reckons Mother Nature drives a Prius, Ford wants us to 'Join the Green Revolution', and McDonald's has painted its famous golden arches green. Facebook has even 'friended' Greenpeace. But are big brands and the celebrities endorsing them really as green as they claim? In Greenwash, in the tradition of Fast Food Nation and No Logo, Guy Pearse looks behind the corporate façade - and what he finds will startle you. Nothing is sacred and no one is safe from scrutiny in this exposé of carbon scams: not the Prius or the Nissan LEAF, not the World Wildlife Fund or Earth Hour, not Oprah or Leonardo DiCaprio. For consumers trying to shop the planet green, Greenwash is a wake-up call. It's also an entertaining and practical book that helps consumers to pick the truly green businesses from the greenwashers and to demand a higher environmental standard from all. 'Guy Pearse travels the sewers of misinformation to show us exactly how, from banks to airlines, there's a growth industry in green horseshit. But, after hosing himself off, Pearse also presents us with a far more thoughtful analysis than I've read in other exposés of greenwashing.' --Raj Patel, author of Stuffed and Starved and the New York Times bestseller The Value of Nothing 'Before I read Greenwash I thought I could no longer be shocked by the skulduggery of the marketers. How wrong I was. Read Greenwash to be reminded why advertising is called the dark art and how marketing has become the most destructive force on the planet.' --Clive Hamilton, author of Affluenza and Requiem for a Species '[Greenwash] contains some brilliant exposés of capital scamming the unwary consumer, giving them a green hoodwink while continuing opposite practices elsewhere.' --Adelaide Review 'Guy Pearse's welcome book reveals the difficulty of judging the benefits and real environmental costs of the way we live.' --David Suzuki 'If you want to know how to pick the true greenies from the fakers, this book is for you.' --Green Lifestyle

Frances Cairncross, senior editor of The Economist and author of the best selling Costing the Earth, shows that economic growth does not have to be at the expense of environmental protection. For the poor, growth is essential, to eliminate the threats to health and environmental security that poverty presents. As for the more affluent, they may be unwilling to sacrifice their living standards, even for a cleaner environment. The question is, rather, how can the environmental impact of growth be minimized? Here, the role of business is crucial. New technologies and well-designed policies have to work hand in hand; and the interests of governments, of companies and of the environmental movement lie in making a cleaner environment an opportunity for profitability. All three parties will find this a stimulating survey and an invaluable practical guide.