What Is Greenwashing?

We’ve all had those moments when we are deliberating between options for a product. Should you buy the wipes in a white container or an orange one? The brand credibility and prices are similar, and you deliberate in the store aisle until something catches your eye—a green leaf symbol next to the words “eco-friendly.” Great! The decision is made: you buy the “eco-friendly” wipes and help out the environment a little while you’re at it. But what if you put too much trust in that green leaf? 

You wouldn’t be alone in your attempts to help our earth in this small but meaningful way. 63% of people seek “greener” products to contribute to the sustainability of the environment [1]. Although consumers do this with good intent, the same cannot always be said of the producers. That green leaf might be an image companies throw on their labels to attract the commendable people concerned about sustainability—a marketing tactic otherwise known as greenwashing [2]. A study has shown that 42% of claims for true sustainability are misleading, and 50% of advertised environmental benefits do not provide evidence for a customer to verify such claims [3]. 

With this in mind, how can you avoid falling into companies’ marketing ploys? The easiest way is to do your research. It has been shown that 37% of the phrases tacked onto products are vague and lack substantial details about their environmental contributions [3]. If you see the words “eco-friendly” or “we use natural ingredients,” don’t take it at face value. Research the company and see for yourself if they demonstrate specific measures to make products sustainable, like minimizing their carbon emissions and waste creation [4].  A company that is going green would be transparent about its practices and have easily accessible evidence. Although it may take a few extra minutes, avoiding the trap of greenwashing will not only clean your conscience but also allow you to make positive impacts that benefit the environment, not the company’s profits. 

Citations

[1]https://theroundup.org/environmentally-conscious-consumer-statistics/#:~:text=A%20separate%202023%20survey%20of,from%20just%2027%25%20in%202021

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[2]https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/2023/09/27/how-identify-greenwashing-and-make-sustainable-buying-decisions#:~:text=When%20businesses%20falsely%20promote%20their,a%20portion%20of%20recycled%20materials

[3] https://www.circularise.com/blogs/greenwashing-in-businesses-part-1 

[4] https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/greenwashing 

Cover Image: https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2021/10/11/How-to-avoid-the-greenwashing-trap