Carbon-Offset under scrutiny by FTC

The Federal Trade Commission, which regulates advertising claims, had its first hearing on green marketing.

Carbon offsets have been paraded around by tons of organizations and associations--from Volkswagen to the Academy awards.

NYT writes:

As more companies use offset programs to create an environmental halo over their products, the commission said it was growing increasingly concerned that some green marketing assertions were not substantiated. Environmentalists have a word for such misleading advertising: ''greenwashing.''

With the rapid growth of green programs like carbon offsets, ''there's a heightened potential for deception,'' said Deborah Platt Majoras, chairwoman of the commission.

With more than $54 million spent on carbon offset credits, tons of companies have jumped into the fray:

• Dell: You can purchase carbon offsets for printers and monitors
• Delta: You can purchase flight offsets
• GE and Bank of America: Translate your credit card rewards points into offsets