Many of the environmental claims made in advertising, and on packages you see at the store are not “up to snuff.”

The Federal Trade Commission is now revising its guidelines for businesses wanting to claim their products are “eco-friendly”.   The new “Green Guide” proposal has been published, its first update in 12 years. The rules lay out when to use words such as  degradable, carbon offset, and renewable.  The Green Guide is not enforceable as law, so government action is limited to cases where marketing is deemed unfair or deceptive.

See more of the FTC Green Guide.