Enough is enough...

You can take almost any word – add “eco” – and voila! You have a much better word. Advertisers especially love this concept.

When I received my PhD in Ecology and Evolution (some time ago now, it has to be admitted) there were relatively few words starting with “eco”. There were some, for sure, like ecotone (meaning a transition area between two adjacent ecological communities), but these days things have really spiralled out of control.

For example, it is perfectly acceptable to write sentences like these, and have everyone know exactly what you mean:

“Having put my ecochic clothes in my ecobag, I took the ecobus to the ecospa to buy some ecoproducts and relax a bit before heading to my ecobusiness.”

“You might therefore think I am an ecofreak suffering from ecoanxiety, but I’m just ecoconscious and try my best to live an ecofriendly life.”

“I object to calling this man an ecoterrorist – he’s an ecowarrior working hard to prevent us all from committing ecocide.”

ECOWORDS

You get the point. You can take almost any word – add “eco” – and voila! You have a much better word. Advertisers especially love this concept. It used to be that words like “better” and “improved” were used to sell new products, but now just add “eco” and they will fly off the shelves. Ecosoap – good for the environment! Ecoshoes – minimize your footprint! Ecofuel – fewer harmful emissions! Ecopaints – you will love our many shades of green! Ecochickens – always free-range and no hormones!

I must admit that all of this is getting me a bit ecofatigued and ecobored. While it is true that ecological crises loom and are already happening (destruction of rain forests, pollution of the Gulf of Mexico, many more species extinctions ahead, global warming a fact), and we must all think a bit to see how we can contribute to reducing the consequences of our past excesses, this whole “eco” thing has become a massive marketing ploy.

The problem is that very few of us take the time to question what we are being fed by fads. In the past, when we bought a product that called itself “new and improved” then it had to be so, right? And now when we buy something labelled “eco” we are doing our bit for the world, right?

Sadly not in most cases, as there is nobody to check truth in advertising. In the EU and the USA, there are strict guidelines to be followed before you are allowed to sell “organic” vegetables, fruits, and meat. And you might even get inspected… But the “eco” label is largely nonsense, as there are no accepted standards by which the product needs to be assessed.

ECOTOURISM?

Take ecotourism for example. I have already posted on another site about that largely empty claim (see http://planyoursafari.com/blog/eco-tourism-and-the-wide-span-of-contradiction/ and then see a report by a Kenyan investigative reporter on ecotourism - http://invw.org/node/1024.)

There is no independent assessment from within the industry or by outside regulators to determine if the advertisers are actually living up to their promises to assist communities, assist wildlife conservation except in direct self-interest, or minimize environmental impact. It has been stated that the tourism industry is the fastest growing economic sector in the world, and that many, many billions are earned per year. All industries have regulatory bodies. Surely this is overdue for the ecotourism claim everyone seems to be making these days? Or are tourists just herd animals flocking to the same old pastures with a new ecospin?

Picture credit: greenbox.ie/Userfiles/eco_bus_image1.jpg

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