Not guilty

/ 01 March 2010

How companies make us feel bad

This book presents a compelling critique of organisations’ attempts to assuage their customers’ guilt about green issues. Aimed at a British audience, it’s amusing, written in a humourous and tongue-in-cheek fashion, but conveys a serious message about green issues in the workplace. It’s well structured, and the final chapter provides a useful summary of the main ideas and problems.

I thought this book was going to be purely about environmental issues. However, it delved into the psychology behind advertising, marketing and consumer behaviour, although in parts it seemed rather long-winded and drawn out. It wasn’t clear where it was leading, but eventually it returned to green issues and the associated guilt.

Can you, like me, clearly remember where you were when you first found out about the hole in the ozone layer? The authors explore the complex we all have about environmental issues and argues that organisations cannot alleviate our collective and individual responsibilities. Fear can be vicarious, whereas guilt cannot.

The book states that doctors understand the difference between fear and guilt. Well, I can honestly say that I was never taught that distinction at medical school. It’s amusing how lay people claim such clear superior knowledge about doctors’ education. This is where the book lost points.

Many of us are cynical enough to have already detected that companies that claim to be eco-friendly are only doing it as a token gesture and to increase business, which is known as ‘greenwash’. However, the book argues that some organisations are genuine and gives good examples of these. I would recommend this book for some light reading about green issues, guilt, psychology and company marketing.

Reviewed by Dr Rachel Hooke

John Wiley and Sons