Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. An environmentally friendly program or product which does not live up to expectations. v. To try to save the planet by buying something green only to find out that it's just a load of bunk.
Verboticisms
Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...
You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.
Scamwow
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: skæmwaʊ
Sentence: The late-night pitchman made the knockoff absorbent towel sound like the answer to almost all of Jerry's "being-green" concerns. He would never need to buy paper towels again saving hundreds of trees. He could scrub surfaces clean without using cleaning chemicals. It turned out to be a scamwow moment when he read the disclaimers on the packaging and found out that the warranty was limited to occasional use only (once a month) and that it was made from the hides of several endangered species.
Etymology: scam (a confidence game or other fraudulent scheme) + Shamwow (brand of absorbent towel sold via infomercial)
Ecofarsology
Created by: rombus
Pronunciation: eko fars ahl ogee
Sentence: Brian read about the new movement to save the planet. There were stickers on products that were "touted" as environmentally friendly. Some of them cost more but promised to either last longer or be more friendly to the environment. After using some of these products, Brian was wondering whether it was all a bunch of ecofarsology.
Etymology: Ecological and Farse
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COMMENTS:
Excellent! - silveryaspen, 2009-03-20: 09:49:00
Terrific word. - Mustang, 2009-03-20: 21:34:00
Good word. - kateinkorea, 2009-03-21: 00:39:00
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Environmentalies
Created by: EpicButCrazy
Pronunciation: en-vire-oh-ment-al-eyes
Sentence: The program to reuse light bulbs was just a heap of environmentalies. People soon found that they got no light from burnt-out bulbs.
Etymology: environmentalize + lies
Bozone
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: bo zone
Sentence: Manny's invention of unlights was a typical example of a bozone...something which had good intentions, butr failed to meet needs.
Etymology: Bozo (clown name, foolish person) & Ozone (the action of ultraviolet radiation on oxygen in the stratosphere (where it acts as a screen for ultraviolet radiation, which is being eroded by greenhouse affect)
Conservascam
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: con-ser-VAY-scam
Sentence: Willard had just made the first payment on the water recovery and power saver program he bought from the door to door salesman when he began to realize it was really a conservascam and the worst part was his wife, Wilma, sneering and reminding him she'd tried to steer him away from the slick talking salesman.
Etymology: Blend of conserve and scam, play on the word 'conservation'.
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COMMENTS:
Good word. - kateinkorea, 2009-03-21: 00:41:00
Great word! Like the sentence - splendiction, 2009-03-21: 16:47:00
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Greenfrauducts
Created by: splendiction
Pronunciation: green fraud ucts
Sentence: Cleaners and other products claiming to be eco-friendly because they are clear may actually be greenfrauducts. These fraudulently-eco-friendly products cost more, but may contribute the same chemicals to the water supply and earth as regular products. Another type of greenfrauduct marketed to unthinking consumers are the group of products that are already organic: such as “organic” fruits and vegetables - aren’t they organic just as they are? “Organic” needs definition as “grown without chemicals or pesticides” to avoid promotion of greenfrauducts.
Etymology: From green products and fraud. Greenfrauducts are a group of products that are marketed as earth-friendly but which are either not such or are already earth-friendly.
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COMMENTS:
Agreed! Excellent verbotomy! Easy to remember and the meaning is so readily apparent! - silveryaspen, 2009-03-22: 16:27:00
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Scamwow
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: skamwou
Sentence: Ed's exuberant concern for our planet makes him vulnerable to every scamwow eco-friendly product from every eco-huckster he comes into contact with. His closet contains a plethora of not-so-useful gadgets. Some of them should receive prizes for their inventiveness (if you could find the flimflam artist who sold it). Top prize might go to the product that is supposed to reduce or remove your "carbon footprint". It's a flipflop with sandpaper glued to the top.
Etymology: scam (a dishonest scheme; a fraud) + wow (expressing astonishment or admiration)
Fakeology
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: fayk ol ojee
Sentence: Joule and her husband Kilo Watt had always tried to be a "green" couple. When he brought home the really energy efficient lights that last forever, they did not realize that you could not see well enough to read. Whewn they bought low-octane fuel, it took them twice as long to get anywhere in their car and they used up three times the fuel to get their in the first place. Yep, this fakeology was not really working for them...
Etymology: Fake (Phony, not real, pretend)& Ecology (environmental relationships)
Energyp
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: ener-jip
Sentence: Mia wanted to save the planet, but having more zeal than sense, ended up buying every piece of energyp that was advertised on TV.
Etymology: energy + gyp (defraud, cheat or swindle)
Benefake
Created by: RightOnTheWin
Pronunciation: \ˈbe-nə-ˈfāk\
Sentence: Fredrick recently spent a fortune on remodeling his house to be more “green” for the environment. Everything went well, until the power reserving lamps he had bought, started to burn through the light bulbs like candy. Fredrick realized that most of the remodeling was done on impulse, and he didn’t take into consideration that these environmental friendly appliances could be benefake. Soon, his wife began to notice the problems around the house too; when she sat down to read a book, the newly changed light bulb blew. Fredrick’s wife warned him about overspending without researching first, before he began the remodeling. Fredrick refused to admit that she was right, and insisted that reusing blown bulbs would save power.
Etymology: Benefit (Something that promotes well-being) + fake (Something that is not what it purports to be)
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by readerwriter. Thank you readerwriter. ~ James
silveryaspen - 2009-03-23: 15:06:00
Your great definition, readerwriter, and your clever cartoon, James sure inspired a spate of great creates!
I thought I had bright idea, but it was bit dark... ~ James
silveryaspen - 2009-03-24: 16:28:00
I thought your clever use of color and shading to express darkness visually in your cartoon was brilliant! I know that's an oxymoron, but I couldn't figure out another way to say it!
Today's definition was suggested by readerwriter. Thank you readerwriter. ~ James