By: Ava Smith
Photo from: Fast Company
With consumers escalating the demand for companies to enact ethical corporate policies, greenwashing has become an increasingly common phenomenon. The act of greenwashing is essentially when a company misleads buyers by claiming their products are “sustainable,” when they are not. Many companies usually market themselves as environmentally friendly to deceive customers to buy their product, because individuals experience a feel good factor if they believe what they are purchasing is doing good for the planet. Greenwashing can occur in many different products and companies, from lotion to oil.
While the term “greenwashing” is relatively new, this practice has been ongoing since the 1980’s. One example from 1989 is chemical company DuPont. The corporation announced their latest oil-tanker with an ad that pictured marine wildlife frolicking and flapping their wings. Yet, Dupont was the largest oil polluter in the U.S that year. Another culprit of ecological manipulation is oil company Chevron, where they too released a commercial of wildlife enjoying their habitat, while Chevron was simultaneously spilling oil into wildlife refuges and violating a myriad of environmental policies. Without any substantive evidence of corporations enacting impactful sustainable endeavors, it is no surprise that greenwashing came about.
Snippet of a Chevrons ad
Photo from: AnnainCA via Youtube
Due to decades of climate inaction, greenwashing is still extremely prominent. It is particularly prevalent within the fashion industry. For example, fast fashion brand H&M markets itself as sustainable with their in-store recycle bins where you can drop off clothes that are supposedly made into new garments. However, globally only 25% of the clothes dropped off end up in a sorting plant to be made into another item. This “sustainable” promotion rewards customers with a H&M discount, thereby promoting more excess consumerism instead of mitigating it. Another fast fashion brand known to greenwash is SHEIN. On the company's “social responsibility” page on their website, it claims they are concerned with sustainability. However, there is minimal evidence that demonstrates how SHEIN is taking steps toward environmentally conscious practices . Although they use a few eco-friendly materials, they show no substantial progress towards lowering greenhouse gas emissions or implementing any policies to minimize their environmental impact.
Greenwashing is a corrupt and incredibly misleading practice, but consumers can research the sustainability of a brand. To start off, if there is a page on the company’s website that is thoroughly dedicated to their policies and ethics, that is usually a good sign that the company is truly sustainable. Typically, if there is minimal information and they use the phrase “eco-friendly” without any details on how they are eco-friendly, then it is most likely greenwashing or not a sustainable company. Another tip-off for greenwashing is the phrase “we are striving for sustainability” without any actual steps shown. To verify if a brand is sustainable, consulting reliable sources within the Internet is an effective way to check, by searching company name greenwashing. Packaging is also extremely important for a company's sustainability. Try to look for minimal or recycled packaging. For clothing companies in particular, an app called Good On You, rates brands and includes honest information on their labor, sustainability, and animal policies. The app also suggests similar brands that are more ethical.
How the Good on You app works
Photo From: The Green Hub
Discussion Questions:
How can we hold companies accountable for greenwashing?
What are some ways to spread more information about the dangers of greenwashing?