In today’s global economy, power and wealth are measured in consumer dollars.  Companies dedicate countless resources to courting new customers, and ensuring the loyalty of their current shoppers. To be widely successful, a company cannot limit itself to only the consumers in its neighborhood.  Despite green initiatives, and sustainable language, there seems to be a big gray area that even the most environmentally progressive mega corporations can’t avoid.  If a company’s financial stability depends on a wide base of customers, can a global corporation ever be truly green?

I began to ponder the question of green corporations while watching a commercial for Lays potato chips.  The commercial centers on a 5th generation potato farmer, who thinks his “great, great granddaddy would be proud” that his fields now grow potatoes for Lays.  His short story is filled with the wholesome goodness of family farmers and community businesses.  Although the words were never directly spoken, the projected image evokes the ideals of sustainability and local foods.

The whole thing made me sneer – “How dare Lays pretend that it is anything other than corporate evil,” I muttered.  “People are going to see this commercial and think that choosing Lays is an ecologically sound decision.”

Never one to let a good rant sit, I hopped on my computer with the intent of writing a scathing article on deceptive advertising.  It was a good plan, and I’m sure it would have been a great article, filled with inflammatory propaganda and such.  However, in my search for damning evidence of corporate irresponsibility, I stumbled on some information that gave me pause.

Lays, is actually trying to do the right thing.

As of 2000, they required all of their growers to plant only non-GMO crops.  Their SunChips line is introducing compostable packaging. Their manufacturing plants are making strides with water recycling, waste management, and green energy.  There is a list of 46 “Steps to a Healthier Planet” that details the positive policies Frito-Lay has implemented since 1939.

It all left me very confused.  If Frito-Lay is such a green company, then why doesn’t their packaging draw attention to their efforts?  If they are against the use of GMO ingredients, then why wouldn’t they proudly state it?  I had to know, so I did something I have never done before.  I called the company.

The nice lady at Lays offered perfectly understandable, yet rather disappointing reasons for why Frito-Lays doesn’t have any NON-GMO labeling on the packaging.  “The government doesn’t require it” topped her short list.  Additionally, while Frito-Lay won’t plant GMO crops, if they are forced to buy from an outside supplier, they can’t guarantee that they are buying Non-GMO products.  “Lays products are probably 99% GMO free” she told me.  In a last ditch effort to satisfy my question, she also claimed that the high price of redesigning packaging is prohibitive to adding labels.

I was left dissatisfied.  If Frito-Lays cares enough to avoid planting GMO crops, why wouldn’t they go the extra mile to assure that all their suppliers are Non-GMO?  If they care enough to make a company planting policy, why would they choose to wait until there is a government mandate to label it?  It seems to me that the lack of a clear label leaves room for the company to bend their professed ideals whenever they become inconvenient.

The other issue that was raised for me was the concept of sustainable verses green initiatives.  At Lays, part of their recycling includes sending potato peelings and cornhusks to feed lots.  While it is certainly good that the organic matter is not being sent to the landfill, the CAFO’s that “recycle” the Lays waste are by no means sustainable.

It seems to me that when a company is so big that it becomes part of the system, it is impossible for it to rise above the corruption present in that system.  I can appreciate the effort that Lays is making to ‘greenify’ their operations, but I don’t think Lays can remove itself from the sins of it’s parent company PepsiCo, or the feedlot operations that allow it to claim bio-waste recycling.

In writing this blog for nearly a year now, I’ve discerned that even the best intentioned companies can never be perfect.  The question I ask then is, if perfection isn’t possible - how do you measure good enough?

UPDATE:
Apparently I wasn’t the only one who sensed the deceptive advertising in the Frito-Lay commercial.  Through a link in Organic Bytes (the Organic Consumers Association newsletter) I was directed to this recent article on “Localwashing” that speaks to the frustrating reality of the “buy local” movement.  Even our local governments are trying to dupe us!