Greenwashing 101
While consumers have been making steps in becoming "more green" or Earth-friendly, some companies have capitalized on this not new but evolved desire through consumerism and deceiving marketing tactics to line companies’ pockets.
But first and foremost, what is Greenwashing?
To be technical, Merriam-Webster defines Greenwashing (noun) as “the act or practice of making a product, policy, activity, etc. appear to be more environmentally friendly or less environmentally damaging than it really is”. Also known as the “Green Sheen”, it is essentially used as a marketing tactic or a PR stunt by making it extra appealing to those willing to pay more for companies’ “half-truth” claims.
While profit-driven companies are most likely to be guilty of greenwashing, specific industries to be extra cautious about are those in the fast moving (and fast producing) sectors, such as - food, cosmetics and fashion, all for the name of profit and market share. Companies are not the only ones to blame, Media plays just as big of a role by creating a platform for Greenwashing to exist and even flourish given the lack and lax of regulations surrounding it.
And that is why as consumers, we must take the extra steps necessary to inform and educate ourselves so as to not to further spread the false narrative that is Greenwashing. We must be observant and wary when it comes to “too good to be true” or vague use of words that are not backed with facts, reports and an accreditation body of some sort, examples of such words are - “clean”, “green”, “true”, “environmentally-friendly”, “natural”.
UL Studies, a global safety company has put together what they call, “7 Sins of Greenwashing” to help in identifying brands and products that can potentially be guilty of Greenwashing:
Once you see these “signs”, what do you do? What concrete steps can we do as consumers to help alleviate the spread of Greenwashing apart from being observant and ask the hard questions necessary?
Get Your Facts Straight - all it takes is a quick web search to research, learn and validate some claims and concepts. Pro-actively educate yourself so you are equipped with facts and not just hear-say and false advertising.
Hold People Accountable - stay involved and start conversations within the community. Companies and advertisers (including influencers) should be hold accountable with the products and claims they are marketing, that is why a call for transparency or politely challenging dubious claims is sometimes necessary.
Consume Less - there will be no waste if no purchase is made to begin with (less carbon footprint, greenhouse emissions, etc). Also, f there is no demand from the market then supply will eventually disappear as companies will not view it as a “profitable space” they can capitalize on.
Spotting Greenwashing is not easy or simple, that is why we encourage patience, graciousness and collaboration as we help each other navigate these green waters to live a Truly Green Life.
