Maybe it's because words like "sustainable", "Earth-friendly", and "environmentally responsible" are just too long for a catchy headline, but the all-encompassing label green has found its way into almost every part of our lives. You can buy green cars, sodas, shirts, shoes, and food. Green television stations broadcast green programs using green energy to green people sitting on green couches in green buildings. Green cleaning products are used to tidy up after green craft projects, but just make sure you aren't green washing. Green is even a political party.

To be fair, I'm not above using the word "green" in this context either. Heck, this blog is called "The Green Team" and I make a living covering green building. I consider myself as green as the next green human, though occasionally I find someone who is a shade or two greener (which makes me green with envy).

But the other night as I was thinking about how some have labeled the green movement as a fad, a passing fancy like neon socks, leg warmers, and Vanilla Ice (ok, child of the 80's, can't help it) I started to ponder how other colors have fared.

Does red see red when it looks at green?

How blue is blue these days that it isn't grabbing the headlines?

Is yellow fearful its time in the limelight has passed?

Has purple become despondent that it no longer receives the royal treatment?

Is gray fading to a paler shade in its fuzzy view of popularity?

What about the other muted tones that haven't found their own cause or movement? Do tan, pink, mauve, burgundy, and charcoal have to get a press agent?

It looks grim for rest of the rainbow. Even Crayola, that wondrous creative company that has been mixing up colors for kids since 1885 has taken sides now claiming that green is "Earth's favorite color"!

Whether or not we're still using the word "green" in five years to describe energy efficient light bulbs, building systems, or eco-friendly cat litter, I suspect we have crossed a tipping-point in our consumerism. Regardless of what we label it, the awareness that "going green" has brought us will persist, and hopefully grow.