Greenwashing and How to Avoid It

By: Danielle Labrum

Greenwashing is defined as when, “a company or organization spends more time and money on marketing themselves as environmentally friendly than on minimizing their environmental impact” (Corcione). Dozens of so-called ‘green’ companies are deceiving thousands of buyers in order to make more money and then using their resources to cover up this corruption.

Stereotypically, greenwashing is associated with the fashion industry, but even water companies have overrepresented their greenness. “How many plastic bottles have you seen with colorful images of rugged mountains, pristine lakes and flourishing wildlife?” (Corcione). But how many of these plastic bottles are filling our lakes and oceans? Greenwashing is not always about deception, but also over-exaggeration in advertising. It's easy for companies to look at greenwashing as beneficial to the company, since 66% of consumers are willing to spend more money on products from sustainable brands” (Corcione). Consumers are lured in by the recyclable, biodegradable, and all the third party seals and certifications to a company that really isn't eco friendly. These practices deceive and take away the consumers’ right to choose an eco-friendly brand. It takes away the consumers’ power and trust.

As a society, we need to do further research towards where our dollars are being spent. We need to ask questions about the company’s sourcing, shipping practices, and even the materials our products are made of. Find out if they are making steps towards counteracting their carbon footprint. While of course the most sustainable option as a consumer is to buy less altogether, some companies are working towards a more sustainable future. “As a consumer, you’ll only get better and better at identifying greenwashing and avoiding it completely” (Corcione). Although greenwashing is still a pressing issue, making sure to only support the brands that really make a difference is the solution.

Sources:
Business News Daily
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/10946-greenwashing.html#:~:text=Greenwashing%20is%20when%20a%20company,services%20from%20environmentally%20conscious%20brands.
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