“Greenwash” from TruGreen ChemLawn
Thursday, February 9, 2006 by Caroline
I hated TruGreen ChemLawn even before I realized how bad their products are for the earth. 8 or 10 years ago they employed some pretty ugly telemarketing tactics with me. And now this bit from a neat little website called The Green Life makes me hate them even more!
The Green Life publishes an annual report on the country’s worst “greenwashers,” those companies who skillfully employ PR, marketing, and advertising tactics to try and fool consumers into thinking that they’re pro-environment. All the usual suspects are there–the oil companies, the car manufacturers, etc. Granted I wasn’t surprised to see a company with the word “Chem” in their name on the list. (Talk about dumb PR!)
The big story is Project Evergreen, a project that TruGreen ChemLawn co-founded with other companies in the “green industry.” Its purpose is supposedly to
….use the resources and influence of a national green industry alliance to create a national marketing campaign to consumers throughout the U.S. The effort will promote healthy landscapes and green spaces using public relations, public affairs and other tactics to tell the positive story of the environmental, economic and lifestyle values of well-maintained green spaces, including lawns and landscapes, sports turf, golf courses, trees, etc.
But behind the scenes, says The Green Life, is a “residential lawn care program” that offers 32 pesticides, of which
…17 contain ingredients that are defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research and Cancer as possible carcinogens; 13 contain ingredients that are banned or restricted in other countries; 11 contain known or suspected reproductive toxins; 9 contain known or suspected endocrine disruptors; and all 32 threaten non-targeted species and ecosystems.
TruGreen ChemLawn and others of their ilk are responsible for creating a demand for a perfect, green, weedless suburban lawn no matter what the chemical cost. Download the report and read it if you time–along with interesting tales of scummy PR tactics, you’ll also read about mass earthworm murders and poisoned dogs.
Hey….I just figured out where the Iraqis hid the WMD!!! I think I’ll call the White House.
Bad indeed, but unfortunately not surprising. I was thinking as I was reading that someone at ChemLawn could get promoted to the Administration, or perhaps is already there. It’s unfortunate that business tactics like this work so easily on people. Really, just package it a colorful box and say it’s ok and it’s ok.
Chemlawn poisoned my dog and he died from pesticide exposure. Share our story with your friends.
http://www.flabbylabby.com
Chemlawn is the worst company on earth!!!
I used to work for chemlawn and years ago it WAS a responsible company. When trugreen purchased them the company”s values died!! Now they just lie and mislead the public.
Is any one else having to deal with these idiots when it comes to scheduling and payment
I requested my account cancelled months ago, when they could not get my account correct.
It is still open and I am still getting calls.
Good luck Norm–I’ve never used them but my only experience with them is that they hound you to death with telemarketing calls, so maybe their accounting is just as screwed up!
i work for trugreen in idaho, i hate them! but i have mouths to feed. we have to “earn” the weekends off! what is this…russia?
I work for TruGreen and have 2 little dogs and my little brother lives with me. I have not seen anything that would alert me or scare me. This company is just like every ther big company, sometimes IDIOTS make it up igher in the food chain then they should. Robin, i am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry your dog died. But there are people like me and Stan who do our job right and need to make a living. With that in mind, if we do keep calling you just ask to please be put on the ” do not call” list. Ak for the callers employee number and request a copy of the “do not call policy” If you have our lawn care and want no other treatments, make sure to specifiy that when you sign up. “do not call to up sell” most of us here do it right, it takes 1 bad apple top ruin the bunch. Sadly that bad apple might be a branch manager. Then I am trully sorry! Oh and sorry, i suck at spelling. I am a talker. Have a great day.