why such businesses have developed is that the American public has become green itself, meaning that environmentalism is itself a vital social value prized by the public. There are a number of reasons why this has occurred, one of which is public frustration at such visible problems as air pollution. In addition, the public has become more aware of a variety of non-visible pollutants and the adverse health effects they may have, and the public has as a result demanded that business respond by reducing pollution as part of the price of doing business. Consumers are therefore deliberately looking for products that can be considered "green" and so environmentally sensitive, and this increases the profits for "green" companies while reducing the profits for companies perceived as less responsible (O'Brien 56-57).
O'Brien points out, however, that some companies have been making green claims that are false, drawing the attention of the Federal Trade Commission and various consumer groups (O'Brien 58-59). Companies making false claims will demon
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