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Overnight, it seems, the universe of consumer products has “gone green” — all-natural bathroom cleaners, sustainable wood flooring, eco dry cleaning, etc. While most of us would love to believe that environmental consciousness has reached every manufacturer in America, we can’t help but suspect that a few firms are hoisting a faux–green flag, talking big while doing little to change their footprint.
As consumer interest in environmentalism has exploded, so has its paper-thin cousin: “greenwashing.” Greenwashing takes place when companies make claims of environmental stewardship that are out of step with their true actions, according to Mike Lawrence, executive vice president for corporate responsibility at branding agency Cone LLC in Boston.
We’re not seeing outright lies, Lawrence says, but more the intentional use of vague words and misleading packaging to boost sales.
Aside from being annoying, greenwashing clouds the media landscape, robbing authentic sustainable companies of the chance to get their stories heard. “Every dollar you spend is a vote toward the kind of world you want to see,” says Marti Matsch, communications director of Boulder, Colo.–based Eco-Cycle. “Greenwashing makes it hard to see those choices clearly.”
Here are five ways to help consumers scrape off the green paint:
1. Demand precision, please
It’s perfectly legal for advertising copywriters to use puffery, promotional statements that aren’t expected to be taken seriously. A diner can claim the “world’s best cup of coffee,” and a movie can call itself “the summer’s top thriller.”
But environmental advertising should be different. “It requires a connectivity to the facts that is higher than other forms of advertising,” Lawrence says. “Many marketers don’t get that, so you end up with ads that intentionally mislead.”
The result is packaging that shouts nonsense phrases such as “in harmony with nature,” “all-natural,” “chemical-free” and “eco-friendly,” to name a few.
Such phrases are meaningless, says marketing firm TerraChoice in its report on the sins of greenwashing. What does “in harmony with nature” really mean, anyway? As for all-natural, many nasty substances occur naturally, including arsenic, mercury and lead.
Worse, some words actually cover up environmental misdeeds. Matsch’s pet peeve is the slogan “biodegradable”; she notes that any organic substance — biodegradable or not — thrown into a landfill produces methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas. (Biodegradable products/packaging may be more meaningful if you have a compost bin or pickup service.)
So instead of slippery ad-speak, look for claims backed up with facts such as percentages of post-consumer recycled content, specific manufacturing processes and details of community giving or social responsibility programs.
Don’t forget to read the label, adds Green, Greener, Greenest author Lori Bongiorno. In one instance, she found that a “fragrance-free” product contained a perfume to mask its odor. She’s also found shampoos billed as lavender-scented that contained none of the plant’s extract. “Make sure the list of ingredients matches the claim,” she says.
2. Look for third-party seals or certification
Without a degree in chemistry, how can you read a label or package and be certain of its claim?
Enter third-party verification. For the past decade, nonprofits and government entities have developed scientific, credible standards such as USDA Organic and country of origin (COOL) labeling. The most trustworthy products display these logos proudly.
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It's difficult to know whether or not you're being "greenwashed."I recently came across
GreenCupboards, an online retailer which offers green household products. All of the products offered by GreenCupboards have been tested and certified by GreenCupboards on the basis of ingredients, toxicity, efficacy, manufacturing processes and packaging.
Edited by: Emily on Feb 19, 2009 2:08:15 PMFeb 19, 2009 2:07:11 PM