FTC’s Green Guides Help Guide Owners, Contractors and Design Professionals

This post originally appeared in "The Green Building Law Blog" Being green is not always straightforward.  There are many products on the market, related and non-related to building, that make claims about their environmental benefits and impacts.  There are many service providers that make similar claims.  But not all products and services live up to their billing.  Companies marketing themselves or their products as environmentally friendly will have to better qualify those statements, in light of Federal Trade Commission's Green Guides. The Green Guides have been around since 1992.  The latest version was updated in 2012.  They "outline general principles that apply to all environmental marketing claims and provide guidance regarding many specific environmental benefit claims."  The purpose is to cut down on deceptive practices regarding green marketing.  The Green Guides are not law and are not independently enforceable.  But, the FTC can take action if someone or some entity makes an environmental...