Greenwashing
All Natural. Sustainable. Eco. Enviro. Green. What do those words mean when on a label? Well, depending on who’s selling it…not much these days. The truth is, there is very little regulation when it comes to what has become environmentally conscious buzz words.
What Is Greenwashing?
When small and honest companies try to set themselves apart with language they know their customer base will understand, big corporations are watching and will swoop in to do what they do best and pollute the figurative (and literal) water, using something called “greenwashing.”
Think of whitewashing an old fence—same old fence underneath, but just with a fresh coat of paint to fool those walking by. They will slap those natural and eco labels on just about anything, say they are making steps to change by 202–, possibly even remake their product in a green hue, and then change nothing else in how it’s made or what they stand for.
Green With Envy
On the plus side, the fact that corporations are changing their language to win back customers is a huge sign that our collective choice to ditch practices and products that harm the earth is working! These big companies miss the money, but instead of sacrificing some revenue for the greater good and integrity, they will just rebrand and market to trick people.
A good example of this can be seen on bottled water. The bottled water companies put scenes of nature in their ads and claim their bottles are 100% recyclable. With only 9% of our plastic actually getting recycled though, most of those bottles will end up in the same idyllic waters as depicted on the labels. Some customers may not know this and will buy it thinking it’s a sustainable alternative.
Learn to Spot the Lies
The best way to avoid being taken in by these sneaky marketing tactics is to educate yourself on what makes a product truly sustainable so that you can spot the lies more easily. Ask yourself the following questions:
Is the product produced with truly sustainable materials and practices?
What is the carbon footprint of the company and its production?
Does the production or item harm any ecosystems or animals?
Does the marketing spread misinformation about best practices, the environment, or health claims for profit?
Does it actually cause more pollution?
The internet is a great resource for finding these answers, especially trusted sustainable groups on social media and smaller companies who are passionate about their work (like us!).
With us, what you see is what you get. Transparency is crucial to build trust, and we know we have to earn and keep yours. If a company is dodging questions or using mysterious practices, beware—they may be hiding a black heart behind that green exterior!