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Park and recreation managers who are unsure what “green” and “green certification” really mean should not be embarrassed. There appears to be much confusion among both consumers and businesses as to what the terms mean. These are the findings of a study conducted a couple of years back by the Shelton Group, specializing in researching environmental issues.*
The study sought to better understand what “mainstream” consumers, as they were referred to, know and care about green products, along with clarifying what the green claims suggest. The good news is that approximately 60 percent of the population, according to the study, has a broad desire for greener products.
However, as to understanding why a product is green, why another one isn’t, or what makes something green, “the average consumer knows only about enough to get through a cocktail-party conversation,” says Susanne Shelton, president of the research group. “They can nod their heads and say a few things [using the words] green and sustainable … but really do not know very much.”