Nothing Green about Greenwashing: Tricky Marketing & How to Avoid It
Written by Camryn Mahnken
What does it mean when a company spends more money and uses more resources trying to convince consumers that they’re eco-friendly than they spend on actually becoming eco-friendly?
They’re greenwashing.
greenwashing: a form of spin in which green marketing is deceptively used to promote the perception that an organization's products, aims or policies are environmentally friendly.
Many companies on the market today have realized the profitability and appeal of offering environmentally conscious, sustainable, and/or “green” products. Companies may be advertising their products using terms like this while simultaneously operating in a way that causes real damage to the environment, or being dishonest about the reasoning behind changes in their company policies.
Greenwashing dates back to the earliest forms of advertisement, from radio ads claiming the safety of nuclear power plants in the 1960’s to 1980’s oil companies claiming environmental superiority on TV commercials. Today, the advertising method is all around us. We see it on a product’s packaging, a podcast’s 30-second advertisement, a Facebook pop-up, a company website, the imagery on a company building, a sponsored Instagram story, and more. Because of this, consumers who are committed to purchasing products and services that cause less harm to Mother Nature have to dig through corporate lies. If you’re wanting to be vigilant about what products you’re supporting, there are ways to differentiate between companies with real sustainable values and companies who profit off of false advertising.
Don’t let imagery fool you. Be critical of the packaging of a product you want to buy. Classic greenwashing appears pretty straight-forward; products being marked with images of green colors, leaves, animals, plants, etc. in order to create the false image that the product is connected to the environment in some way. Labels might read “100% Organic” or “Green Certified” with no conclusive information on the packaging about how that certification was achieved (this is because usually, it wasn’t).
Double-check the validity of a product at the original source. Visit a company’s website and see what you can find. Most companies with a truly green mission will be transparent about production, working conditions, and energy consumption levels. There will be an effort on behalf of any truly green company to be honest about their business practices, as well as with companies who are making an effort to become more green.
American Eagle Outfitters has their social responsibility policies listed publicly on their website, detailing their dedication to sustainability in different categories such as reducing water usage, saving energy, improving sourcing of materials, and focusing more on recycling. They highlight specific statistics and definitive goals on their website, like reducing carbon emissions 40% by 2040. This is important because it shows consumers the specifics behind their mission. Companies who are greenwashing, in contrast, will not have such detailed websites. If you come across unspecific claims and ambiguity with a company, it is most likely greenwashing.
Greenwashing is an unfortunate way for companies with little moral concern for the climate crisis to claim superiority in their practices. Though many believe companies should not be able to get away with earning the money of people who are committed to a better environment via false advertising, it’s a reality that has been present in the business world and likely will continue to be present for as long as the environment remains a key issue. On the individual level, conscious consumers are responsible for diverting this ad tactic and staying true to their own values. On the community level, as general consumers, we are all responsible for holding companies accountable for their actions. It is our job to learn if a company is truly green, or just greenwashing. May we all be armed with the tools to differentiate the two. ♥