How to Be Wary of Greenwashing

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Maddie Besnard

As society begins to value sustainability more and more, businesses are getting sneaky. Marketing campaigns advertise products and services as “eco-friendly” to drive sales, but the sad reality is that this doesn’t really mean anything without a backed certification. Instead, this is a marketing technique referred to as greenwashing.

Greenwashing is defined as “the process of conveying a false impression or misleading information about how a company’s products are environmentally sound.” From using the color green in advertisements (like when Mcdonalds changed their whole color scheme to green in Europe), to carelessly throwing out seemingly sustainable labels, to showing fake certifications, greenwashing is everywhere. One study even found that 72% of North American companies surveyed had admitted to engaging in corporate greenwash. It really is everywhere.

There are many trigger words to look out for that may indicate greenwashing. These include “all-natural,” “biodegradable,” “eco-friendly,” “green,” “natural,” “non-toxic,” and “Net Zero.” This vague language without evidence backing their claim is a key greenwashing tactic. 

So how can you avoid falling victim to these tricks? Look for trustworthy certifications such as Fairtrade, Cruelty Free, and 1% For the Planet. In order to obtain these certifications, businesses must pass a certain set of requirements. Furthermore, there are resources available online such as California Green Business Network to search for certified green businesses nearby.

Conscious consumerism means making informed purchasing decisions. So in order to be a conscious consumer, it is important to recognize the difference between when a company is actually acting sustainably versus when they are trying to take advantage of you via greenwashing.  Learning how to recognize the signs of greenwashing and doing your own research is an excellent step in moving towards a more sustainable lifestyle.