What Is Greenwashing?
Hello again and welcome, coined by environmentalist Jay Westerveld in 1986, greenwashing, is essentially the act of making false or misleading statements about the environmental benefits of a product or practice. Greenwashing is a way for companies to continue polluting air, land and water, while profiting from deceiving consumers. According to a 2023 report by the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network, more than 40% of global green claims by companies were “potentially misleading.”
Why do companies greenwash? Profit. Going green sells. A report by McKinsey found that Gen Z are more likely to spend money on companies and brands seen to be ethical. Another, Nielson’s Global Corporate Sustainability Report, found that 66% of consumers would spend more on a product if it comes from a sustainable brand. Here are a few examples of greenwashing that were extremely misleading:
In 2018, Starbucks released a “straw-less lid,” as part of its sustainability drive, however this lid contained more plastic than the old lid and straw combination.
Volkswagen, admitted to cheating emissions tests by fitting various vehicles with a “defect” device, software which could detect when it was undergoing an emissions test and altering the performance to reduce the emissions level. All of this was while it was touting the low-emissions and Eco-friendly features of its vehicles in marketing campaigns. In reality, these engines were emitting up to 40 times the allowed limit for nitrogen oxide pollutants.
In 2017, Walmart paid USD$1 million to settle claims that it sold plastics misleadingly touted as being Eco-friendly.
In 2019, Norway’s Forbrukertilsynet (Consumer Authority) ruled last year that fast fashion brand H&M was under investigation for its supposedly ethical ‘Conscious’ collection. H&M and other fast fashion retailers are renowned for exploiting the vagueness of green terminology to appear more environmentally conscious and sell more clothes.
The largest food and beverage company in the world, Nestlé released a statement in 2018 saying that it had “ambitions” for its packaging to be 100% recyclable or reusable by 2025. In 2020, Nestlé, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, were named the world’s top plastic polluters for the third year in a row.
IKEA was considered a beacon of a major corporation being sustainable before June 2020 when the furniture retailer was linked with illegal logging in Ukraine.
Other types of greenwashing include vague or undefined claims, such as a cleaning product labeled natural, without specifying any eco standards or certification.
Fake certifications, that include creating official-sounding but meaningless seals or logos. One such example is “Earth Smart Certified” badge was invented by the company, not by a third party.
What can you do? trust, but verify. Why? because, as you can see from above, even the biggest brands can exaggerate. Staying informed is a must. For more information on greenwashing visit consumer reports. Houston Organic Cleaning Service has always been and will always be 100% toxic free, 100% fragrance free cleaning service . We opt to use natural and organic ingredients that are healthier, not only for our clients but for the environment as well.
In the process we not only reduce our carbon footprint, but we also contribute to a more sustainable economy. As always, we thank you for visiting us today and hope you visit often. If you are looking for a cleaning service, call us today. We are always 100% toxic free, 100% fragrance free, 100% chemical free. Safe for the environment. Until next time…
Source: EarthOr
Source: Consumer Report
