3 February 2010
Eco Voice
by Mallesons Stephen Jaques

On 16 January 2008, the ACCC released an Issues paper entitled “The Trade Practices Act and carbon offset claims.” The paper identifies particular types of claims as to carbon neutrality in advertising that the ACCC considers to be problematic for the purposes of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (TPA).

The ACCC is inviting stakeholders to comment on these issues with the eventual aim of developing a guide for business and consumers on “green” advertising.

July 2009
www.bindarri.com.au

Q - how do you sell woodchipped Australian native forest to an Australian market who is becoming more environmentally aware?

A - buy some offset credits and launch Australia's first carbon neutral paper.

Go Greenwash with ENVI

Australian Paper (AP), the manufacturer of ENVI has had a long history of sourcing fibre from native forests and has been subject to consumer boycotts.

27 July 2009
The Age
by Adam Morton

A timber industry body is being investigated over claims it misled the public by asserting that buying wood products helps the fight against climate change.

The consumer watchdog has asked Forest & Wood Products Australia to respond to allegations it made two deceptive claims: that the carbon dioxide stored in trees is locked up when they are logged and converted into wood products, and that forestry is one of Australia's most greenhouse-friendly industries.

2 July 2009
The Age
by Julian Lee

Is it any wonder that people are cynical about marketing when a company like BP decides that after a decade of trying to be the nice guy it can now relax and just be itself?

Yes, it no longer needs to pretend that it is anything but a producer of oil and gas - with a nice little sideline in alternative energy. It no longer has to bear the slings and arrows of environmentalists accusing it of greenwash for extensively promoting clean energy initiatives that were wholly disproportionate to its actual investment in those programs.

3 July 2009
ABC AM
By Europe correspondent Emma Alberici

ExxonMobil says it funds organisations on all sides of the climate change debate.

The world's biggest oil company, ExxonMobil, has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to groups that continue to question the cause and effects of global warming.

The Grantham Research Institute at the London School of Economics (LSE) claims ExxonMobil has reneged on a promise to end financial support to the groups.

24 April 2009
AVAAZ

As Obama opens a new round of global climate talks in Washington DC next week, oil companies are flooding the US Capitol with lobbyists—and US airwaves with misleading climate ads.

Avaaz is filming a spoof ad that looks and sounds just like Exxon's—except that it's an Avaaz actor telling the truth about climate change and oil-company obstruction. (Check out clips from the real Exxon ad, and photos from the set of Avaaz's new one, in the video on the right.)

The Age
5 April 2009
by Carmel Egan

The State Government has been accused of undermining its own forests policy by selling off native hardwood timbers for as little as $2.50 a tonne.

VicForests, the State Government's forest industry arm, has been undercutting commercial plantation pulp wood suppliers by selling off native forest timber harvested in East Gippsland for between $2.50 and $6 a tonne.

Commercial hardwood timber is sold for between $38 to $60 a tonne.

2 April 2009
Sydney Morning Herald
by Julian Lee

Advertisers will no longer be able to use images of nature and call themselves "environmentally friendly" unless they can back up any green claims under new proposals put forward by the advertising industry.

The new self-regulatory green marketing code - thought to be the first of its kind in the world - will also prevent companies from passing off a mandated environmental initiative as something it has voluntarily adopted.

Advertisers will have to prove that the benefits to the environment are "significant" too.

1 April 2009
Australian Association of National Advertisers

Following a period of public consultation, the board of the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has agreed to proceed with the development and implementation of an Environmental Claims Advertising and Marketing Code.

With consumers becoming increasingly aware of, and interested in, the environmental impact of products and services, the new Code will help ensure that advertisers and marketers develop and maintain rigorous standards when making environmental claims in advertising and marketing communications.

9 March 2009
The Sydney Morning Herald

Those who pay extra for green electricity will simply be making it cheaper for big polluters to meet emissions reduction targets under the Government's climate change legislation, consumer group Choice says.

Spokesman Christopher Zinn said more than 878,000 households had chosen to pay more for renewable energy in the belief that they were helping reduce carbon emissions.