Green Daily

It probably says more about me than the company, but every time I open the cabinet and see that box of IF YOU CARE unbleached coffee filters, I feel a stab of green guilt and panic.

Do I care? Am I doing enough? I mean, I bought these filters, with their environmentally friendly production methods and low carbon footprint. I carry the paper brown box with it's vegetable based-inks like a badge of biodegradeable pride through the supermarket.

IF YOU CARE has several other great products, like 100% recycled aluminum foil and silicon coated baking sheets. Their packaging is also 100% recycled. Clearly, they do care.

Still, I have to admit, the name irritates me. Not so much that I'll go buy chlorine-bleached filters out of spite, but I'm willing to admit that I'm a sucker for good marketing, and I'm turned off by what I perceive as negative pressure. Maybe it's the all CAPS. The thing is, there are a lot of people like me out there, and we've been well trained by the advertising machine to expect a little sugar with the pitch. For green companies to break through to the mainstream, they have to play with the same tools, or weapons.

Of course, some people would say that if I really cared I'd have a reusable coffee filter.