This cartoon idea sprang fully formed from a New York Times piece on the ridiculous lengths that some brands are going to be considered for the Home Depot Eco Options promotion (including, yes, a brand of electric chainsaw). It’s a good example of some of the outlandish greenwashing we’re all starting to see. And, how the issue is not as white and black as the old treehugger/lumberjack dynamic.
Of course, any lumberjack research wouldn’t be complete without re-watching the classic Monty Python sketch (particularly now that I’m living in the UK). It mystifies me that my wife doesn’t find Monty Python funny at all.
Jurgen Wolff says
July 1, 2007 at 8:32 pmWelcome to London. I love the cartoons, a very succinct & entertaining way to making your points.
lizzy says
July 9, 2007 at 2:17 pmTallie doesn’t like Monty Python?
Urban Scout says
July 10, 2007 at 9:20 amThis cartoon is very funny and also very sad.
…to think that destroying more habitat (or biodiversity) and the very life forms that filters the carbon out of the air is “okay” simply because the technology with which we do it is… just different. It still took an oil economy and oil energy to build the chainsaw, and it is still damaging the environment by cutting down the trees and destroying more habitat for civilizations expansion.
I think it is still just as cut and dry, it’s just harder to see that with all the mythology out there.
Eco-designer says
July 10, 2007 at 1:58 pmToo true – it si a challenge to sort the wheat form the cahff of businesses jumping on the green bandwagon. Every little bit helps, and it shows that the public is very aware and are demanding their businesses be more enviromentally responsible.
Scott McArthur says
July 15, 2007 at 3:13 pmBrilliant! I really like your blog and the ideas you discuss. The Greenwashing theme is a very interesting one which I have discussed on my blog,
http://mcarthursrant.blogspot.com/2007/04/greenwashed-or-green-elite.html
Margaret Rouse says
September 27, 2007 at 5:36 amLoved this cartoon. Love ALL your cartoons! I made you the Overheard in the Blogosphere quote for Sept 21. Thanks for agreeing to let me reprint the entire cartoon!
http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/overheard/overheard-greenwashing/
Sebastien says
August 20, 2009 at 9:08 amHi,
Would it be possible to publish this particular drawing on the Facebook of the Independant Advertising Observatory ?
We deal with greenwashing and try to educate about this phenomenon in France ?
We would clearly put your name, your website and everything you’d like.
Sebastien Vray
WWF-France
http://www.observatoiredelapublicite.fr
Tom Fishburne says
August 20, 2009 at 12:17 pmBon jour Sebastien,
Yes, please feel free to publish this cartoon on your Facebook page. I’m glad that it struck a chord!
-Tom