The first time I’ve heard the term ‘green noise’ was today, in this NY Times article about how environmentally conscious consumers are beseiged by a great deal of information on how to lead an eco-friendly life. Are we having too much information about the environment? What’s the solution? Who is right?

Ms. Burnham, 35, recycles religiously, orders weekly from a
community-supported farm, buys eco-friendly cleaning products and
carries groceries in a canvas bag. But she admits to information
overload on the environment — from friends, advice columns, news media,
even government-issued reports. Much of the advice is conflicting.

“To
say that you are confused and a little fed up with the often
contradictory messages out there on how to live lightly on the earth is
definitely not cool,” she said in an e-mail message. “But, heck, I’ll
come out and say it. I’m a little overwhelmed.”

She is, in other
words, a victim of “green noise” — static caused by urgent, sometimes
vexing or even contradictory information played at too high a volume
for too long.