Greenwashing is a marketing tactic used by companies to convey a false impression or misleading information about how their products are environmentally friendly. It involves making exaggerated or false claims about the environmental benefits of a product or service to appeal to consumers who prefer to buy goods and services from environmentally conscious brands. Greenwashing can range from changing the name or label of a product to evoke the natural environment to multimillion-dollar campaigns that portray highly-polluting energy companies as eco-friendly.
Greenwashing undermines credible efforts to reduce emissions and address the climate crisis. It can be difficult to spot, but some common examples include:
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Misleading labels: Companies may use vague or unregulated terms like "natural" or "eco-friendly" to make their products seem more environmentally friendly than they actually are.
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Exaggerated claims: Companies may make exaggerated or false claims about the environmental benefits of their products or services.
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Hiding tradeoffs: Companies may emphasize the sustainable aspects of a product to overshadow the companys involvement in environmentally damaging practices.
To avoid greenwashing, consumers can look for third-party certifications, such as the Forest Stewardship Council or Energy Star, that verify a products environmental claims. Consumers can also research a companys environmental practices and policies to ensure they align with their claims.
