TUCSON, Ariz. - Green. Eco-friendly. Organic. All natural. Sustainable. What do these terms really mean?

In today’s society "green" is becoming a buzzword that marketers are latching onto. But if consumers do not know what the terms mean, how can they decide what is truly “green” and what is a marketing scheme?

Definitions used by the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality Sustainable - improving the quality of life for current generations without compromising the resources needed by future generations. Organic - focuses on food production methods, not price or labor specifications. In the U.S., the U.S. Department of Agriculture certifies producers and processors, as do some private and state entities. There is a standard label but some squabbling about its meaningfulness. Free Trade - a certification that indicates producers and workers receive a fair price for their goods, and the production process considers social, economic, and environmental factors. It is controlled by Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International and its U.S. arm, TransFair USA, pastes a standard label on certified products. Carbon Footprint - the amount of carbon dioxide emitted due to the daily activities, of a particular person, group, etc. Carbon Neutral - making no net release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, especially through offsetting emissions by planting trees. Source: Pima County Department of Environmental Quality

“There is no real definition for what ‘green’ is,” said Robin Johnson, an environmental specialist for the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality.

Johnson said PDEQ focuses on sustainability as an umbrella term, looking at everything from energy, cars, water and fair wages to decide whether a business is green.

Kade Mislinski, manager of Time Market, said a truly "green" business should not need to advertise the fact.

“Well done rather than well said,” said Mislinski, commenting that businesses should practice being environmentally friendly rather than say they are.

Last year, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office saw the most applications since 2000, with a large increase in green trademarks. More than 300,000 applications for new trademarks - brand names, logos and tag lines - were made in 2007.

While overall filings increased 10 percent, environmentally-themed applications saw bigger jumps. Applications with the word "green" more than doubled from 2006 to 2007, from 1,100 to 2,400; there were nearly 900 applications filed with "clean" and "eco" in their descriptions. Trademark applications with "environment" or "enviro" went up from 325 to 450.

But with new environmentally-themed applications on the rise, so is the use of marketing language making questionable claims.

In 2005, Gaetano Paduano sued Honda for false advertising and deceptive claims in San Diego County Superior Court after he became disappointed with the gas mileage of his 2004 Civic Hybrid.

TerraChoice Environmental Marketing Inc., an agency in Philadelphia, Pa., conducted a global study released this month that found 25 verifiable green product claims among more than 2,000.

The study came up with the “seven sins of ‘greenwashing,’” which include "no proof," "vagueness," "irrelevance," "hidden trade-offs," "fibbing," “Worshiping False Labels,” and the "lesser of two evils."

According to the survey, greenwashing is "the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service."

The company surveyed 24 “big box” stores in the United States and Canada, and identified 2,219 consumer products making 4,996 environmental claims. Of the 2,219 products examined, all but 25, or less than 2 percent, of the products were found to be "sin-free." All the others made claims that are demonstrably false or that risk misleading intended audiences, according to the survey results.

“We have to think not just locally, but globally,” said Phyllis Greene, 50, who talked with a Cat Scan reporter at a coffee shop. “Just because a computer monitor turns itself off when it is not in use and calls itself ‘green’ doesn’t mean anything. It is likely that monitor is made in Thailand and the people making it are exposed to toxins.

“People will buy products that say they are green in order to feel good about themselves, when the product is not really environmentally friendly,” Greene said.

“There are all kinds of ethics in being environmentally conscious, from the traditional, ‘don’t litter,’ to emerging technologies such as green chemistry,” said Mark Shaffer, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

Freeport McMoran Copper and Gold has a mine in Green Valley, Ariz., Shaffer said. "The Sierrita Mine uses green chemistry to mitigate dust using algae instead of water so it is less wasteful."

“All kinds of environmentally friendly things are being done, but a few marketers are using the term ‘green’ because it is a marketable word right now, and it is giving the businesses that are doing their part a bad name,” Shaffer said.

Web sites for Certified 'Green' Products EcoLogo Chlorine Free Products Association Green Seal Forest Stewardship Council Energy Star Program Green-e GREENGUARD

Marketing Myths Chemical-free - Nothing is free of chemicals. Water is a chemical. Non-toxic - Everything is toxic if taken in high enough doses. Even water and oxygen can be toxic. All natural - This does not mean everything natural is good for you. Arsenic and mercury are natural, they are also poisonous. Source: TerraChoice Environmental Marketing Inc.