Greenopolis is a popular social networking website for the eco-minded. While it has some great blogs from some terrific writers, unfortunately it is owned by Waste Management, a company with a history of environmental crimes. Considered the least law abiding waste hauler in America according to a study of the waste hauling industry in 1986 by the Council on Economic Priorities, Waste Management has been working hard the last few years to market themselves as the greenest garbage company in the country. Their slogan says “Think Green,” but their marketing is clearly greenwashing. Waste Management has spent in excess of $90 million on advertising to tell us how many trees it saves through recycling (keep in mind they are the largest waste management company in the United States), as well as the amount of land it has set aside for wildlife habitats, and even how much energy it generates through incineration. The problem is that the advertisements ignore the fact that trash burning incinerators discharge considerable amounts of toxins into the air including mercury, lead, and dioxin.
For more on this story and other green washers check out
The “Green” Hypocrisy: America’s Corporate Environment Champions Pollute The World