re: Should we still be using the word “green” to describe sustainability?

I don’t know about you, but as a person deeply committed to sustainability I find myself more and more weary of hearing “We’re Green!” I’m looking to understand the difference between sloganeering and genuine commitments to sustainability. In my course, “The Sustainable Organization” we look at creating a sustainability plan for your company. In the course, I hear lots of students describing their views of sustainability. Many have a very thought out approach while others are still in the formulation stage. I find that mature businesses have gotten the message that “we need to be green” but I don’t know if there’s a common understanding of what that really means. I’d like to to create a new vocabulary for the sustainability movement so we can move away from terms like “green” and become more specific about what we’re discussing. I think people are “getting it” getting the power of green, now I think it’s time for us to further the conversation. What do you think?

Lisa Hendrickson teaches CEO 200 FutureLab and The Sustainable Organization.