Transcript
How To Uncover
Wen Han TsaiPhoto by Tax Credits
(Flickr)
Greenwashing
In the 1950s, people believed that smoking was good for their health.
Photo by Joe Plocki (Flickr)
Whitewashing in advertisements existed back then…
Photo by Paul Townsend (Flickr)
Photo by Justin Brown (Flickr)
…and it still exists now.
Our society has become increasingly aware of our impact towards the environment.
Photo by CIFOR(Flickr)
Environmental sustainability has become a global concern.
Photo by Giovanni Orlando (Flickr)
Companies have taken note of this –
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and used it for its own financial gains.
Through greenwashing, companies claim to be “eco-friendly” through false advertising.
Photo by Rizon Wonderlane (Flickr)
And the problem is – it works.
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In 2010, 95% of the self-proclaimed “green” products on the market have committed at least one greenwashing “sin”.
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The question is – how do we expose these false claims?
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The answer – by recognizing the various greenwashing “sins”.
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Companies often label a product as “eco-friendly” based on a small set of attributes,
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while ignoring the ones that pose an environmental threat.
Some products claim to be eco-friendly, without providing any accessible evidence.
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Companies often use vague phrases, such as “all-natural”.
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An “all-natural” product can still contain harmful ingredients that grow naturally.
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Also, don’t be fooled by a product that has a third-party certification label – it is often fake.
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A company may claim that their product is greener than the ones in its category…
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…when the category as a whole is detrimental to the environment.
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However, the biggest greenwashing sin that companies commit – is simply lying.
Photo by Hans Vaupel (Flickr)
So it is up to us, the consumers to differentiate between
Photo by Markus Stober (Flickr)
fact and fiction.
Sources
Cohen, Steven. “The Push Behind Corporate Sustainability Management.” Huffington Post Green. HPMG News, 25 Mar. 2013. Web 20 May 2014.
Pearce, Fred. “The Great Green Swindle.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited, 23 Oct. 2008. Web. 20 May 2014.
“The Seven Sins.” The Sins of Greenwashing. UL, n.d. Web. 20 May 2014.
Photo by Kristian Niemi (Flickr)
All images found from Flickr are under the Creative Commons License.
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