Measuring products' green credentials

If there's one thing high school science taught me, it was that you should never believe everything you're taught. Every year, we were given permission to throw the last year's knowledge out of the window - molecules were revealed to be naught more than atoms, and finally even that pretty little satellite diagram of neutrons, protons and electrons went out the window.

One of the key realisations of growing up is that we, as adults (offically, at least) have to make choices where there is no 'right' or 'wrong'. Consequences are uncertain.

As marketeers, we help people deal with the problem of choice by differentiating and defining products and services. However, I've been wondering recently if we've become our own worst enemy. We match products to niches through rigorous consumer analysis, leavinbg no gap unfilled (we hope) and no desire without its solution. A clearly-measured differentiator nearly always exists to help consumers make choices, whether it be a brand promise or the recommendation of word of mouth.

In the green space, however, claiming knowledge or authority is a dangerous thing, and the lack of objective measurement leads to unsubstantiated differentiators which lack clarity.

Yesterday, for example, I spent a good five minutes in a quandry in the loo-roll aisle. Before me were two products: recycles own brand, or FSC certified premium brand. Now, my position is usually pretty clear - buy the greener version as long as there's not a huge price premium. I can even cope with lack of quilting if necessary. The mind was willing, but the yardstick wasn't there.

Corporate leadership is a fantastic thing. Don't think I'm arguing against innovation. But we're beginning to see a point where companies are making moves, but there's no standard scale on which to operate.

Could this be the next move for our corporate giants? How long will it be before they band together to put their collective punch behind an assessment tool? I must admit, I'm longing for more than my Walkers crisps to come with a carbon weight attached...