What is Greenwashing?
If you’re an eco conscious consumer (or if you’re wanting to learn about what this means), something to consider when buying cleaning products for your home or beauty products your body are the impacts of toxicity. There are a number of chemicals that have been approved by the FDA in the US that are in fact, NOT healthy for adults, children, babies, or animals.
These are chemicals that can cause a number of health impacts — long term, short term, and even death. How these chemicals have become approved by the FDA, well…that’s another story for another day. The fact is, there are a number of products that *look* to be healthy for you, but it’s actually covered up by certain terminology, packaging, and claims that make a product seem like it’s good for you.
There’s a term for this, called Greenwashing.
Greenwashing is a deceptive marketing practice where a company, organization, or individual promotes themselves as being environmentally friendly or socially responsible. Greenwashing comes in many forms:
making misleading claims about the environmental impact of a product.
using vague or unverifiable language to suggest environmental benefits.
highlighting minor green initiatives while downplaying larger harmful practices.
The term "greenwashing" is derived from the concept of “whitewashing. It means to conceal or gloss over wrongdoing or flaws. Greenwashing undermines consumer trust and can lead to confusion about which products and companies are genuinely committed to sustainability. Here are some things to keep an eye out for when making purchasing decisions:
“Green” Packaging
Just because a product has green packaging or uses natural imagery doesn't necessarily mean it's environmentally friendly. Look beyond superficial appearances to assess the actual environmental impact of the product or company.
Certifications
Genuine eco-friendly products or practices often come with third-party certifications or verifiable evidence to support their claims. Look for certifications from reputable organizations like the Leaping Bunny Certification or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Big Claims / Lack of Evidence
Be wary of overly broad or ambiguous statements about environmental friendliness without specific details or evidence to support them. If a company makes bold claims about being "100% sustainable" or "completely eco-friendly," but provides no evidence or transparent information about their practices, it could be a red flag for greenwashing.
Diverting Attention
Some companies may highlight small, insignificant eco-friendly efforts while ignoring larger, more significant environmental issues within their operations. Greenwashing may involve diverting attention away from negative environmental impacts by focusing on unrelated charitable activities or initiatives.
Organizational Values
If a company's actions or practices seem inconsistent with its environmental messaging, it may be a sign of greenwashing. For example, a company claiming to prioritize sustainability while lobbying against environmental regulations.
Genuine efforts toward sustainability are often accompanied by transparency and accountability. Look for companies that openly communicate their environmental initiatives, progress, and challenges.
Ultimately, there needs to be more initiatives for greener practices where we decrease our carbon footprint, significantly. Some of the biggest areas in which we can make a change and impact is through organizations and larger companies. There is a fine line between using the term Greenwashing as a modern day witch-hunt for organizations who are doing their best to make change and organizations who can simply DO BETTER.
There are organizations who have the resources and funding to make changes to offset their carbon footprint significantly who simply…don’t. As well as organizations who make claims on ingredients that are “good for you” when really, they’re slipping ingredients into the mix that are toxic — for whatever reason. Perhaps that ingredient is less expensive and increases an organizations’ profit margin. Or, it works better in preserving a products. Whatever that reason might be, the cost of doing business and the call to DO BETTER needs to be prioritized.
