Greenwashing might sound harmless enough, with corporations wanting to appear more environmental than they are.
Greenwashing, What is it?
Greenwashing might not be a new concept, but the word, and the tricks of the trade that lie behind it, seem to be more and more widely acknowledged.
At its most basic, greenwashing is a type of advertising that makes a company look more environmentally friendly than it is.
Greenwashing is used to cover over distasteful operations. Often it will involve giving lip service to an environmentally beneficial practice whilst never dealing with broader and more significant problems within the business.
What types of greenwashing are there?
In 2007 Terrachoice published its list of greenwashing ‘sins’, the most common ways companies greenwash their image.
Sin of hidden trade-offs- This is achieved by focusing on one positive green attribute while ignoring other equally or more important ones.
Sin of no proof- Some companies can make grand claims without having anything to back them up with.
Sin of vagueness- Downright lies are generally against the law within marketing and advertising, yet often a vague and undefined statement can be enough to give the illusion of environmental awareness.
Sin of irrelevance- Sometimes slapping on a fancy label can give a product a kind of prestige. If you’re trying to shift that product as quickly as possible, it doesn’t always matter if that label is entirely irrelevant.
Sin of fibbing– Fibbing is generally avoided by most companies, as the risk of being taken to court is too high. Yet sometimes, they either feel it’s worth the risk, or they don’t really understand what they’re claiming.
Sin of lesser of two evils- This is practised on products that really can’t be good for the environment any way you look at it. While the greenwash may be distracting, the fact is these products are better off left on the shelf.
How can I spot greenwashing?
Spotting greenwashing can be a little hit and miss at first, but once you’re cued into the signs you’ll no doubt start to spot it wherever you look.
Here are some handy tips:
Vague and without proof
Pretty words are easy to throw around, but it’s actions that count. If a company claims they are reducing their environmental footprint, make sure they’ve stated how.
Shiny distractions
Many companies like to pull out a cute kitten to show you while simultaneously dumping toxic waste into the ocean. With no deeper sustainability efforts behind it, even the cutest kitten isn’t worth your time.
Meaningless certificates
Would you trust a guy down the pub who says he’s a better runner than Usain Bolt? Probably not. So why would you trust a company that gives itself accreditation and certificates?
Irrelevant positives
Sometimes keywords are slapped on simply to improve sales, while they are irrelevant to the actual product. Look up from the bingo sheet and find the real story behind what you’re buying.
Not-so sustainable “sustainable” products
The most sustainable product is the one you don’t buy. It’s easy to get excited about bamboo cups, and recycled plastic flip flops, but the truth is there is an environmental cost to everything. For those items where the cost is simply too high, no amount of tree planting or packaging reduction will make it worth the price.
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Source: beeco.green
