Greenwashing Part 1

Welcome to my short series regarding "Greenwashing".

I first this term 10-15 years ago while watching the documentary, "Food Inc.". I started to look at the products My family and I used more closely and discovered my son was allergic to Red-40, a commonly used artificial food dye. I want to pass my research onto you.

Is water in a box better for the environment? What about sneakers labeled eco-friendly? How about green-accented soap bottles with plant visuals?

These words and images may look environmentally friendly, but they could also stem from a marketing strategy known as greenwashing. The practice occurs when companies sell the idea of “green” products while accomplishing little or nothing for the environment.

There is a growing market for products that minimize damage to the environment, according to Todd Larsen, executive codirector for consumer and corporate engagement at Green America (Welcome to Green America | www.greenamerica.org), a nonprofit that certifies environmentally responsible businesses and promotes ethical consumption.

Greenwashing misleads the public to “believe that a company is doing more to protect the environment than it is,” all while promoting false, distracting solutions to the climate crisis, according to the United Nations.

Greenwashing occurs mostly when companies overcommunicate or under-communicate on sustainability performance. Misleading branding, vague claims and unregulated labels on products make it difficult for consumers who are aiming to reduce their environmental footprint to make informed decisions.

But not all greenwashing by companies is intentional. Rather than outright deception, greenwashing can be an outcome of poor management rather than a deliberate strategy. These companies may want to produce their products in ways more beneficial to the environment but may fall short internally.

On the other hand, some companies overcompensate out of fear of appearing to greenwash through the practice of “greenhushing,” defined as individuals or organizations deliberately not talking about sustainability despite them having a sustainable track record.

Red flags of greenwashing
Buying sustainable products does not have to be an overwhelming endeavor. If something sounds too good to be true about being kinder to the planet, it probably is. When it comes to spotting green products, a lot of it is also about common sense.

Look for terms such as eco-friendly, green or non-toxic without explanation.
Companies can essentially slap those terms onto a package without proof, according to Scott Faber, the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) (Environmental Working Group – Just Released | Environmental Working Group) senior vice president for government affairs. The EWG is a nonprofit research and advocacy group that focuses on consumer health, toxic chemicals and pollutants.

A newer term circulating is “regenerative,” Faber said, which companies often use to mean extending beyond sustainability to actively restoring, renewing or improving components of the environment and resources. People should expect to see that term more frequently despite there being no widely accepted or legal definition of what it means, he said.

Unlike organic labeling, which is required to undergo audits and meet legal standards, “most claims that foods regenerate soil isn’t tied to such standards and don’t require third-party verification,” Faber said.

No backup of a product’s claims or credible third-party certification means those assertions might not be true.
“Companies should really substantiate in what way their product is green. So that could be a trusted certification, like USDA (US Department of Agriculture)(Organic Certification | Home) organic,” Green America’s Larsen said. “Or they could have information on their website where they go into detail about things like their supply chain and how it’s truly green, and they actually are showing you information that’s verifiable.”

How to buy Green
Doing your homework about a product, especially one you buy a lot, can be worth it.
Experts advise looking for certifications, questioning unsubstantiated language and visuals, and conducting an online search for a product and company to learn about how goods are made and whether there is evidence for what the company says. Look for certifications and question unsubstantiated language about the product when shopping.

Ask yourself a series of questions:
Who is verifying the claim?
Is the claim specific or too general to be proven?
Is the packaging more prominent than the product?
What’s missing?

The “what’s missing” question is often the most important to ask, Faber said. “A cereal box might brag about recycled packaging but still use pesticide-laced oats,” he said. “A meat company might call their beef ‘regeneratively raised’ without saying anything about antibiotic use.”

Experts also recommend turning to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s list of more than 100 ecolabels recommended for consumers on its website. Ecolabels are marks on products that show they meet specific environmental standards. EPA Releases Final Updates to Recommendations to Help Buyers Find Sustainable Products | US EPA

Researching companies and the products they produce is a bit of work, but on the other hand, you’re learning about the products you’re purchasing, and you can feel better about those products. You are also armed with knowledge that you can tell other people what you’ve learned about those products and encourage them to purchase them as well.

The United Nations also suggests consumers consider a product’s entire life cycle — from the extraction of raw materials to its disposal — while considering potential environmental consequences from the packaging materials. There is also the option to buy secondhand goods, a double win by granting new life for products and preventing further landfill waste or emissions.

~ Sara

Stay tuned for Part 2. Greenwashing & Groceries