Is Green Really the New Black?

Or are silly oversimplifying media reports merely making black (and white) the new green?

The latest comes from a couple of sources: the London Times and an upcoming new magazine, Verdant, whose publisher is riding the "green is black" insta-meme for all it's worth.

There's an undertone of belittlement to the phrase, along the lines of this year's hula hoop. A new celeb bandwagon to jump onto, like tree-sitting or adopting African children. As a result, any honest commitment or real change gets dismissed as mere trendiness. The problem with this picture is that many Hollywood celebs, from Robert Redford to Phyllis Diller, were doing serious spadework for eco causes long before "green" meant anything but Irish and untested.

Ed Begley Jr. and Alexandra Paul owned electric cars and have promoted environmental causes for years. Paul Newman may be the single human being most responsible for the mass acceptance of organic foods. Without Laurie David (more a celeb spouse, but still Hollywood), awareness over global warming would be far less pervasive. Way back in the day, animal-rights causes got international attention through Brigitte Bardot. The list goes on and on.

Credit celebrities for promoting causes beyond cola, makeup and body mortification (plastic surgery). In any nascent movement there will be trendy fleas who hop on for the sake of a free ride. But to diminish the impact of "green" -- and the significance of its adoption -- by reducing it to a fey cliche misses the point and misrepresents the truth.

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Poll: Both Political Parties Favor Emissions Cuts

Treehugger: "The other key Zogby poll finding was that “Nearly three of every four – 74% – are more convinced today that global warming is a reality than they were two years ago..."

global warming ecological footprint carbon footprint GreenforGood sustainability green lifestyle