This week I've been reading 'Unmarketable: Brandalism, Copyfighting, Mocketing, and the Erosion of Integrity' by Anne Elizabeth Moore (you can check see more about that book here), a book that delves into the co-option of the DIY subculture by marketers/advertising folk. Think skate punks tacitly endorsing Nike, or Jones Soda, and you've got the idea. 

Given my background in environmental activism, it's an issue I've long been aware of. You see, in the environmental field there is a regular practice of corporate America attempting to appear green by supporting various environmental causes. When I was in Texas, for example, there was an Audobon wetlands sanctuary paid for by an oil company. 

Traditionally, that means that when said oil company dumps a bunch of oil into the Gulf of Mexico (or anywhere else) they can point to their 'green' record of support. 

But, there's a really good new piece in The Nation that outlines how it's subtly shifted to the point that environmental groups -- even some classic trusted sources like The Sierra Club -- are now endorsing those who trash our environment. 

It's an important distinction, because if you trust environmental groups, and they're telling you Brand X is perfectly safe, then you'll believe it is, even though it's not. Instead of the polluters supporting the environment, now the environmental groups are supporting the polluters. 

Perhaps it's gone from green washing to green bathing?

Whatever it is, it's a dangerous trend in the movement for many many reasons. 

First off, a group who takes corporate/polluter money has more money to spread their message and grow their membership list, which means they will actually be more powerful than the small dogs who rely on the $10 and $20 donations from their citizen members (can you guess which side EA is on here?). This means that when something like climate legislation comes up in the Senate those big polluter funded groups who LOOK and TALK like environmental groups will get more ear time than the little guys. 

Secondly, to the average person, environmental groups are sort of all the same. Green is green is green. So if one big guy (again, with polluter sponsorship) is pushing a policy or issue, then people think, 'well that's what the enviros want'. Not true! 

Thirdly, it makes us all look like chumps, because the people out there who DO do the research (yet still lump eco groups together) will write off the whole movement. 

So what do we do? Stay tuned. We're going to work on this one next week.