What is greenwashing and how can you spot it?
When green products are not that green at all…
So, yesterday I watched (yet another!) documentary, this time for one of my classes, called Greenwashers. It’s about this phenomenon within environmentalism and sustainability called greenwashing, or making products look ‘green.’ The green is in quotation marks because well… the products are not exactly green.
See, it’s all just this twisted marketing scheme. Companies spend insane amounts of money just to have their product rebranded into one that makes them seem like responsible stewards of the earth. Now isn't that something?
As to why these companies are all jumping on the green bandwagon? Well, by now, I hope that we all know how urgent of an issue climate change is. The consequences of climate change are inevitable at this point in time, but the severity of the damage depends on by how much the global temperature will increase. Here’s a handy infographic I found that puts things into perspective:
So what does climate change got to do with greenwashing?
As people become more familiar with what they can do to reduce their own carbon footprint, one of the immediate solutions that people reach for is to buy cleaner, eco-friendly products. This is where the issue of greenwashing comes into play. As consumers reach for greener alternatives to conventional products, companies are called to give consumers what they want, or risk losing potential buyers.
But, as we all know, companies don’t want to go out of their way to make *actual* changes to their products that would, in fact, make them greener. No, they would rather brand their product in such a way that creates the illusion of a clean product. Basically, lying to the customer and supplying them with the false hope that they are making the world a better place. At the end of the day, the consumer leaves feeling good about their purchase (oftentimes extremely overpriced), while the company gains more revenue.
It’s crazy, I know.
So having shared some background on this phenomenon, here are some ways you can identify the greenwashing effect:
- Over-exaggerated claims. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. When a brand claims that they’re product is carbon-negative, saves hundreds of penguins a day, or something else this dramatic, you can be assured that the claim is bogus.
- Using comparisons to make themselves look good. You know those commercials where companies basically try to tell you that they’re oh-so better than the rest of the guys? Yeah, this is basically what this point is about. If a product makes some statement claiming to be exponentially more environmentally friendly than other leading brands, you know it’s greenwashing.
- Vagueness. Ok, so obviously we don’t all have the time nor the desire to actually read the ingredients label of the products we buy (unless you’re a conscious consumer, which, by the way, kudos to you!). Many times the claims made by brands are what I like to coin marketing lingo, made to convince the customer to buy the product. So, if you see a product saying it’s ‘all natural’ and ‘locally sourced,’ without any explanation as to what these two phrases mean in that context, the product is greenwashed.
- Fake green seals. You know how easy it is for companies to have eco-friendly seals of approval on their products? In fact, there’s hundreds of them and basically any product can get one with minimal (if any) proof of being environmentally conscious. Here are a few of the many green seals seen on products:
5. Using green EVERYWHERE. This relates to color psychology and how green is usually associated with nature and the environment. Companies take advantage of this notion and inject green into their logos, branding material, and products. So, if you’re seeing too much green… you guessed it — greenwashing.
6. Using wildlife imagery. I think, by now, you’ve gotten the gist of this issue. It’s a psychological ploy. By showing pictures of animals, plants, and wildlife all living together in wonderful harmony, buyers form an emotional attachment to these images. It induces a pathetic response from people, making them feel like buying a given product will save those cute little polar bears in the North Pole (which, unfortunately, won’t).
For some greenwashing examples, let’s take a look at some products:
Example 1: Clorox Green Works Line
It’s ironic to think of Clorox (who uses toxic chemicals, listed here) as a green company. Putting out a green line of products and plastering a flower on the packaging isn’t green.
Example 2: H&M’s Conscious Line
Any company that endorses fast fashion (releasing new clothing at incredible speeds to match quickly changing trends) cannot be environmentally conscious.
Example 3: Electric Vehicles
From the outside you may think that electric vehicles are the ‘greener’ option. But did you know that the materials needed to make the lithium batteries come from environmentally destructive mining processes? This actually contributes to CO2 emissions, making EVs no better than regular cars (sorry Tesla drivers…).
Overall, greenwashing is a huge issue. Not only does it fool consumers into making them think they’re doing good for the environment but it also fails to hold companies accountable for the lies that they are so vehemently spreading to consumers.
So now you know. Be sure to stay wary anytime you find a product that appears to be making any type of environmental claims. I’m not saying that green products don’t exist — they do — but they are a rarity.
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