Clarified: What is greenwashing?
Companies promise their products are environmentally friendly – but sometimes, it's not all that it seems.
Companies promise their products are environmentally friendly – but sometimes, it's not all that it seems.
Companies promise their products are environmentally friendly – but sometimes, it's not all that it seems.
The video above is part of a series by Clarified featured during April’s Earth Month to educate viewers on environmental issues.
Green products are everywhere – from the cars you drive to the pillow you rest your head on.
And consumers can’t get enough. Conscious consumption in the name of sustainability is on the rise – and companies are taking note.
But sometimes, an organization claims a product or activity appears to be more eco-friendly than it actually is – a term known as “Greenwashing.”
So how can consumers sift through misleading marketing to find truly ethically made products?
Greenwashing can be found anywhere – one of the biggest cases involved Volkswagen and Porsche repaying over $9.5 billion since 2016 to car buyers after the Federal Trade Commission sued over misleading "green" claims, including the marketing of Volkswagen-branded and Audi-branded cars marketed as “clean diesel.”
The FTC alleged Volkswagen’s seven-year ad campaign falsely claimed the cars were “low emission, environmentally friendly, and met emission standards.”
In reality, the cars were fitted with illegal emission defeat devices designed to mask high emissions during government tests. The companies did not admit or deny the allegations, but agreed to pay the multi-billion dollar settlement.
In 2022, the FTC and the U.S. Department of Justice sued Kohl’s and Walmart for marketing several textile products as “bamboo” made under eco-friendly processes, when they were actually made of rayon. Producing rayon involves using toxic chemicals and emitting hazardous pollutants, the FTC and DOJ said. The companies did not admit or deny the allegations but agreed to pay a combined total of around $5.5 million.
How to Combat Greenwashing
College of the Holy Cross sociology professor Ellis Jones says there are short-term and long-term solutions when it comes to combating “greenwashing” PR scams.
The immediate solution is for shoppers to use shopping guides like “Better World Shopper,” which Jones continues to research for and update, “Ethical Consumer” and “Shop Ethical.”
Jones also recommends looking out for products with certified labels like “B-Corp” or “Fairtrade.”
But the main takeaway is that consumers cannot solve this issue alone. Jones says to focus on the bigger issue: pressuring local lawmakers to hold companies accountable and make them more transparent in their practices.
“So if suddenly the worst greenwashers are fined X million dollars for every time they greenwash, then it becomes not as profitable to greenwash and it becomes more reasonable to do the right thing,” Jones said.
Both the U.S. and European Union have proposed bills to hold the fashion industry accountable.
Proposed in New York, “The Fashion Act” would require major fashion brands to disclose and reduce their negative environmental and social impacts.
France also announced they will require a climate impact label on clothing sold in the country.
Jones hopes all products will be required to have a climate impact label that will measure sustainability, environmental impact and human rights impact.
“What you need is something as quick and accessible and comparable as when you go shopping at the supermarket,” Jones said.
“We really need to take stock of this moment,” Jones said. “Because what we’re seeing is, consumers are rising up, and they are demanding products and services that are doing right by people on the planet in this world.”