Greenwashing is the act of making misleading or unsubstantiated claims to depict something as more environmentally friendly than it truly is. The rise of the sustainability movement has led to more environmentally conscious consumers who prefer to support “ethical” products, and greenwashing is an attempt to capitalise on this growing demand.
Companies will plaster products with claims like “natural”, “non-toxic”, “chemical-free”, recyclable”, or “vegan”, occasionally even colouring their products green to appeal to this market. Another form of greenwashing is when companies attempt to distract from accusations of unethical practices with the phrase “sustainably sourced”, an often unverifiable claim.
Remember when hotels would leave a small card letting guests be more “save water” by hanging up their towels? In reality, the hotel is presenting itself as greener than it actually is while benefiting from reduced laundry costs. That major instance of “greenwashing” would lead to the coining of the term. Nowadays, major companies will often make exaggerated or unsubstantiated claims in order to “out-green” their competitors. Rebranding, repackaging, or introducing new “eco” lines are just some of the tactics used to garner good faith from consumers. One of the current biggest offenders are energy companies, who are some of the largest carbon emitters in the world, and fast-fashion retailers.
A recent example of corporate greenwashing that became headline news was the Volkswagen emission scandal. Eleven million of their “clean diesels” were rigged with devices designed to cheat emission tests when their pollutant emission was actually way above the legal limit. Other instances include Nestle baselessly claiming “sustainably sourced cocoa” as the cocoa industry is rife with child labour concerns, or when 60% of donated clothes ended up in landfills across third world countries from H&M’s “reuse all textiles” recycling programme.
While there are brands that are actually green and better for the environment, it can be difficult to distinguish them in a sea of green-washed products that are more widely distributed as they are produced by larger corporations. The best way to ensure you are supporting legitimate ethical companies is by doing research and staying informed. A good way to start would be to find information online provided by activists and organisations who are demanding transparency from brands regarding their business practices.