If you have been following along with the last two posts, you are now aware of the several ways one can trip up as one attempts to use "green" climate change attributes (specifically, claims regarding renewable energy, carbon offsets or carbon neutrality) to win customers or sell products. And the universe is bigger than simply climate change. The Green Guides promulgated by the Federal Trade Commission, address general environmental benefit claims; biodegrable, recyclable, compostable, refillable and recycled content claims; "ozone-friendly" claims; and claims about source reduction. See 16 C...

We wrote last about the Federal Trade Commission's proposed revisions to the Green Guides (Proposed Revisions to the Green Guides (Oct. 6, 2010 ) click here) and the Guides' proposed new guidance on renewable energy. Today we will address how the Guides intend to treat marketing claims regarding carbon offsets.

The Federal Trade Commission proposed revisions to its "Green Guides" at the beginning of this month. Proposed Revisions to the Green Guides (Oct. 6, 2010) Click here. The comment period runs through December 10, 2010. Most interesting for readers of this blog are the two new proposed guides directed to renewable energy and carbon offsets, which we discuss below. For those unfamiliar with the Green Guides, they are the guidance provided by the FTC for marketers to assist them in avoiding making misleading environmental claims. First published in 1992, and updated in 1996 and 1998, the Gu...