How To Identify Greenwashing
Do you ever get tired of seeing products claiming to be eco-friendly, only to find out later that they’re not? In a world where being sustainable is more important than ever, it’s becoming extremely difficult to discern when companies are being truthful about their environmental stewardship and when they’re not.
Companies that attempt to deceive consumers into believing their products or services are more sustainable than they really are are engaging in a practice called greenwashing. Greenwashing can be as seemingly innocuous as using the color green in a product’s packaging, or as blatant as redirecting all environmental responsibility onto the consumer.
If you want to be a conscious consumer, it’s important to learn more about greenwashing and how to identify it.
Photo by Jisu Han
What is greenwashing?
Are you willing to pay more for a product that’s more sustainable? If so, you’re not alone. The Global Sustainability Study of 2021 found that 85% of global consumers have shifted towards greener shopping, and more than a third of them are willing to pay more for sustainable products.
In theory, this is a good trend – it means the world is moving in a more sustainable direction. In practice, however, the increased demand for sustainability is taken advantage of by companies looking for a larger profit.
That is, companies are willing to perform all kinds of PR stunts and employ ‘green’ marketing just to convince the consumer that their brand is a sustainable one, even if it’s not. They’re able to reap the benefits of the ‘green boom’ while continuing their unsustainable practices, hiding them under a facade of greenwashing.
Why is greenwashing bad?
Greenwashing is a form of false advertisement, which, according to Merriam-Webster, is defined as:
“The crime or tort of publishing, broadcasting, or otherwise publicly distributing an advertisement that contains an untrue, misleading, or deceptive representation or statement which was made knowingly or recklessly and with the intent to promote the sale of property, goods, or services to the public.”
Companies employ greenwashing strategies in order to deceive consumers into believing they’re doing the right thing for themselves and the environment, while reaping the profits and distracting from their continuing unsustainable practices.
A major example of greenwashing is BP’s ingenious creation of the carbon footprint. In 2003, they launched an advertising campaign encouraging consumers to calculate their carbon footprint, claiming that “it’s a start.”
The carbon footprint calculator is a form of greenwashing because it makes it seem that BP cares about the environment. In reality, it merely shifts the blame and responsibility onto the consumer, while concealing BP’s own immense GHG emissions.
Today, BP continues to claim that you can use their calculator to “work out your annual carbon emissions from travel, then offset your carbon emissions by paying to fund an equivalent carbon reduction or prevention somewhere else in the world.”
Examples of greenwashing
Over the years, numerous companies have been accused of greenwashing. While being found guilty of greenwashing can be damaging to their reputation, big companies simply continue hiring marketing experts in order to cover up their bad practices.
Here are some examples of greenwashing to be aware of:
Keurig has been sued for false claims that its single use coffee pods could be recycled, when in truth they need special recycling equipment most facilities lack.
Coca-Cola similarly claimed that all of its plastic bottles are 100% recyclable, when the caps and labels are not. Meanwhile, they continue to be one of the top plastic polluters in the world.
Coca-Cola Life, a product of Coca-Cola made with less sugar and packaged in green, suggested to consumers that they were making a healthy choice when they really weren’t.
H&M revealed a line of clothing called “H&M Conscious” claiming to use organic cotton and recycled polyester, while providing insufficient information about what those sustainability claims really mean.
Ikea was accused of using illegally sourced wood from protected Ukrainian and Russian forests in its childrens furniture, despite being certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Major banks, including Wells Fargo and HSBC, create advertisements to boast about their investments in climate-friendly initiatives, while continuing to fund fossil fuels.
Volkswagen was found guilty of cheating emissions tests with a ‘defeat device’ in cars sold in the US. Before the scandal went public, many of their advertisements touted eco-friendly features of their cars.
In 2019, McDonalds replaced plastic straws with paper straws, a move which they described as “eco-friendly” even though it came as a direct result of the plastic straw ban in the UK. What’s more, the paper straws weren’t even recyclable!
Red Lobster made repeated claims that their seafood was sustainably sourced, even though its suppliers have been found guilty of violating the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Banana Boat’s line of “reef safe” sunscreens have been found to contain harmful chemicals that cause coral bleaching and otherwise negatively impact marine life and coral reef environments.
How businesses can move beyond greenwashing
If you’re a business owner, there are some key steps you can take to make sure your business acts ethically and works towards a more sustainable future:
Engage in ‘business activism’ by making your business part of the solution rather than the problem.
Support employees engaging in social and environmental movements. Ecosia, for example, claims it will “support [employees] and cover any related fees. If reasonable, nonviolent civil disobedience should lead any Ecosia employee to be incarcerated, their time behind bars will be counted as work time.”
Back up any sustainability claims with real, substantiated evidence (and be ready to defend those claims in court).
Be transparent. No company is perfect, and that’s okay. Consider the following statement from Patagonia: “For years, we have been working within our own business and throughout our supply chain to reduce our environmental footprint. It’s still not enough.”
Develop a clear sustainability goal and outline how the business will get there, and when. Avoid vague statements such as “working towards net-zero” without any evidence to back it up.
Donate a portion of profits to environmental movements.
4 ways to identify greenwashing
As a consumer, it’s difficult to know when a company is making a truthful claim or a deceptive one. Fortunately, identifying greenwashing becomes easier once you know what to look for:
Watch out for buzzwords
Companies that engage in greenwashing often lean heavily on certain sustainability buzzwords that are just that: all buzz and no sustenance. These are terms that aren’t strictly regulated, though as we’ve seen, companies can still be sued for making false or misleading claims.
The following are some vague sustainability terms that don’t necessarily mean much:
Green
Sustainable
Environmentally friendly
Eco friendly
Biodegradable
Locally grown/sourced
Sustainably grown/sourced
Healthy
All-natural
Compostable
Recyclable
If a product has any of these words on their products, and doesn’t have any evidence to back them up, chances are they’re engaging in greenwashing.
Don’t be fooled by nature imagery
As with buzzwords, product designers know that consumers are more attracted to packaging and labeling that depict nature imagery such as pictures of cute animals or lush green rainforests. Just because that bottle of water reminds you of a forest doesn’t mean the company is sustainable.
Also watch out for usage of earth tones/colors such as green, blue, and brown. It’s easy for a company to make their product resemble nature, but it’s another thing to back that up with real sustainability efforts.
Investigate green claims
If a company does claim that it’s sustainable, or that a product is “eco-friendly,” do some research to see if they can back up those claims. Look to see if there are any research studies or statistics that provide evidence of their environmental impact.
Even better, look for trusted third-party certifications, including B Corp, USDA Certified Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, and more.
Look for brands with a good sustainability track record
Finally, as a consumer you’re able to vote with your dollar, so spend your money on brands that align with your sustainability values. While it can be difficult to know which companies have a proven track record when it comes to sustainability, you can use online tools and directories to help you find them:
Fashion:
Diet and health:
General:
Additionally, check out Ellis Jones’ The Better World Shopping Guide: 7th Edition: Every Dollar Makes a Difference (2022) if you haven’t already.
Finally, don’t forget that all companies are ultimately trying to sell you their product. Don’t forget that buying less has the smallest environmental impact of all.
What’s an example of greenwashing you’ve noticed recently? How has being more aware of greenwashing influenced your choices? Let us know below!
