Disturbing, but not at all surprising, considering what I have been uncovering in the last few months…yes Earth Day 2008 is nearly upon us and right on time the “green” groups and “green” campaigners are cashing in on the potential bonanza. Proof, if proof be needed, that it’s money and not good intentions that runs the industrial world.

Take a look at this, from the Earth Day Canada web site:

Earth Day Canada Hats.

Bucket hats in natural colour, 100% cotton garment-washed, embroidered with the Earth Day Canada logo. Also available in natural with navy trim.

Baseball hats in natural or navy colour. One size fits all. Embroidered with the Earth Day Canada logo.

1 – 11 hats   $15.50 ea
12 – 24 hats $14.25 ea
25+ hats      $12.95 ea

Obviously they are organic, Fair Trade, and all that — no? They also sell a lovely Garden Tote Bag, a steal at $36, or if you can’t afford that then just show your support by buying a gold plated (where did this gold come from?) lapel pin for only $4.

You can have lots of fun looking around for more examples like this, some from charities and some from blatantly commercial companies, although I’m having more and more difficulty telling them apart lately.

One thing that particularly bugged me was an e-mail from a publisher pushing a book who wrote:

From: <giwilks@aol.com>
To: <keith@xxxx.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 5:43 PM
Subject: This Earth Day go green while saving the green

Green is in and protecting the environment and its natural resources has become a universal effort.  For many consumers, “going green” will not only help save Mother Earth it will help save money, too.  Greg Karp, author of Living Rich by Spending Smart: How to Get More of What You Really Want (ISBN: 978-0-13-235009-9, $17.99, February 2008) and a syndicated personal finance columnist, offers tips for consumers that will help protect the green spaces and the green in their wallets.

Well, way to go, Greg Karp; give your promoter a big pat on the back for green exploitation at its worst. I responded, of course:

This is so superficial. I don’t need to spend $18 to get a pile of money-making, pseudo-green tips: I could give you a thousand of these tips and still be no closer to a better way of life. We are not consumers, we are people: modern society has given us labels and all the time we accept those labels we are prisoners of that culture.

Strangely, I didn’t get a response. If you want to do something this Earth Day, then go ahead — but make sure it doesn’t involve screwing money out of people, otherwise you stand a good chance of being called a hypocrite.
 

(STOP PRESS: I’ve just received a kind invitation to advertise an Earth Day event taking place at Universal Studios, that well known bastion of green thinking mind-melding media behemoth. I have a funny feeling I will getting a lot more of these self-promoting bandwagon messages over the next 2 weeks.)

I might be able to take some kind of credit for this, but whether The Unsuitablog was the catalyst or not, there is now a new web site called The Alliance for Burning Every Chunk of Coal (ABECC) which looks suspiciously like the ABEC web site (which I won’t link to).

As you know, The Unsuitablog loves subvertising, especially when it’s done well. Here’s the sales pitch:

“The Alliance for Burning Every Chunk of Coal (ABECC) was formed on April 1, 2008, to provide a much-needed voice to coal industry leaders, interested shareholders and others who fervently believe the only way to meet 21st century energy needs is through 19th century technology. Since its inception, ABECC has attracted literally dozens of supporters, from coal CEOs all the way down to coal plant junior VPs. Our members are united by a clear and compelling belief that, through coal-based energy, we can continue to improve the lives of all Americans with a large financial stake in the coal industry.

“In a word . . . we believe in power. Power that comes from coal.

“As America debates its energy future in Congress and our state legislatures, you can rely on ABECC and other altruists — like our allies at Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC) — to ensure that our shouts will be loud and well-funded enough to drown out all dissenting voices.”

Big credit to the Natural Resources Defense Council for some sterling work. And a huge two-fingered salute to the coal industry for being a bunch of Earth ripping filth-heads.