CITYWIDE Fighting for the environment has never been as hip as it is today, and as a result, there’s no shortage of businesses looking to take advantage of the eco-chic by pretending to be green.
Federal officials have tried to regulate advertising and marketing. But how can a consumer really know if the products they’re buying, or the services they’re receiving, are truly environmentally friendly?
Enter “Greenopia” — the self-proclaimed “urban dweller’s guide to green living.”
Similar to the Zagat Survey of restaurants, Greenopia was developed by Santa Monica-based Green Media Group, LLC, as a tool for consumers to make informed decisions about where they want to spend their money. It helps weed out the phonies and find those companies that are truly trying to protect the environment for future generations.
The pocket-sized guide, which is available online (www.greenopia.com), at local retailers and Whole Foods for $12.95, is also intended to make it easier for the average person to change the way they live without forcing them to spend hours doing research.
“We’re really excited about showing people that there is far more that they could be spending their money on rather than just buying organic food,” said Ferris Kawar, one of the editors of the Los Angeles Greenopia guide.
There is also a guide for San Francisco, and if it catches on, Green Media hopes to expand to other cities across the country.
“I think people tend to feel like they are doing everything they can when they shop at Whole Foods or
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 11, 2007. Read the original PDF.