There seems to be an unusual level of “green” activity in the New Orleans area this weekend, and with a particular focus on green building.

These events build on the Green Building momentum in Louisiana, in addition to recent national news that there’s a possible silver lining to Hurricane Katrina in that the New Orleans construction industry is largely avoiding the global recession.

Here are some highlights from this weekend’s events:

1) Gambit Weekly magazine had a “Green Building Guide” insert in this week’s edition, co-sponsored by Global Green USA and South Coast Solar providing the city with a green building products and services directory [PDF Version of Global Green's Vendor List].

2) Louisiana Bucket Brigade is presenting Louisiana’s first ever Earth Day Festival, featuring musical performances on the city’s first Solar Powered Soundstage (April 5, 2009).

3) New Orleans City Park is having their annual Spring Garden Show (April 4-5, 2009). For the first time, however, the garden show will present the city’s first “Green Fair.” According to the Live Green Orleans blog, the fair at City Park’s Botanical Gardens will be the largest Green Fair in Louisiana’s history.

Does New Orleans Need to Worry about “Greenwashing?”
While the green building and green attention is good for New Orleans and Louisiana, the rising profile of “green” living in the city may be cause for concern that the green label will be abused by businesses and marketers.

What is Greenwashing? The term’s wikipedia entry defines it as follows:

Greenwash (a portmanteau of green and whitewash) is a term used to describe the practice of companies disingenuously spinning their products and policies as environmentally friendly, such as by presenting cost cuts as reductions in use of resources.[1] It is a deceptive use of green PR or green marketing.

The problem itself is not new, and the FTC even has a Guide “For The Use of Environmental Marketing Claims.” In 2007 and 2008, there were reports that the FTC was stepping up its enforcement efforts against untruthful environmental advertising in the wake of increased green claims.

The specific FTC regulations of environmental marketing claims will be discussed in a separate blog post, but for the time being, we’ll just bring up the topic as it relates to the tsunamic of “green” marketing by construction industry firms in the New Orleans area.

While green building is certainly a hot area for the construction industry, there are dangers to making green claims for the sake of good PR and increased business.

In Gambit Magazine’s Green Building insert, Global Green USA’s Matt Petersen wrote the following about its “Green Building Guide:”

On behalf of the entire staff and Board of Directors at Global Green USA, I am pleased to present the first ever Green Building Guide. The Guide is designed to help you find the green products and serves that will make it easier for you to save money on rising energy bills, improve the indoor air quality and health of your home and do your part to held rebuild a more resilient, greener New Orleans.

That’s a tall order for the 400 vendors listed in the Green Building Guide.

While the Guide is likely a good thing for Louisiana consumers and builders, its important for everyone involved to remember that environmental claims must be substantiated. More on exactly how later…