It's amazing how corporate attitudes change over time. Sometime in the last nearly 40 years since Earth Day started being observed, "going green" has moved from an idea environmentalists talked about to a mission corporate America aspires to. In tonight's program, I interview Interbrand CEO Andy Bates about a survey his company sponsored. The survey asked consumers which corporate brands they perceive as "most green."

Surprisingly, those surveyed chose no company at all as the number one "most green" brand. But respondents did rate Toyota, BP, The Body Shop, and Honda as the next four "most green" companies. A triumph of corporate propaganda? Or is there something "authentic" that consumers sense about these four brands? Bates thinks that consumers do see a difference, particularly since Toyota and Honda have been first to market with hybrid vehicles. The Body Shop has long held itself as a purveyor of green-only products. BP has spent many billions to develop an alternative energy division.

Is it possible for a less-ethical company to buy its way into consumers' hearts as a "green corporation?" It is, and there's even a term for it -- "greenwashing." Firms that greenwash pay lip service to being environmentally friendly, even though in reality they are not. But according to Bates, companies would be hard-pressed to succeed with such an image campaign because consumers would quickly see through the deception. After all, the public simply has to do a search on the Internet to find out how companies impact the environment.