Proceed with Caution!

Greenwashing Defined: Disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public image.

As individual and company consumers increase their influence on the market for green products and services, a double-edged sword has emerged. On one end, companies are producing more high quality and diverse products and services than ever before - through innovative sustainable and ethical means. On the other, companies wanting to get in on the "green" without being "green" have created a muddled message through advertising schemes. The result is a confused public who wants to buy sustainable and ethical products but feels less and less confident in green claims. This could have a significant impact on green markets; greenwashing destroys the market that is seeks to exploit by undermining consumer confidence. 

In order to protect yourself from unfounded or misleading product claims, look out for the following red flags^:

• Fluffy language: Words or terms with no clear meaning (e.g. ‘eco-friendly')
• Green Products, Dirty Company: Such as efficient light bulbs made in a factory that pollutes rivers
• Suggestive pictures: Green images that indicate an un-justified green impact (e.g. flowers blooming from exhaust pipes)
• Irrelevant claims: Emphasizing one tiny green attribute when everything else is not green.
• Best in Class? Declaring you are slightly greener than the rest, even if the rest are pretty terrible
• Not credible: "Greening" a dangerous product doesn't make it safe (e.g. ‘eco-friendly' pesticide)
• Gobbledygook: Jargon and information that only a scientist could check or understand
• Misleading labels: A ‘label' that looks like third party endorsement, only it is made up.
• No proof: A statement with no accessible evidence to back it up
• Out-right lying: Totally fabricated claims or data

Green Lens Questions:

• Is there a recognized certification seal on the package? These are the highest in their categories:
• USDA organic (food and beauty products)
• Energy Star (appliances); LEED (buildings)
• Fair Trade (food and imported products)
• Marine Stewardship Council (seafood)
• Forest Stewardship Council (forest products like paper and wood furniture)
• While there still may be greenwashing going on, with certifications you are at least assured that a third party inspection verified minimum claims.
• Does the packaging back up claims with data? Legitimate claims should be backed up by data or links connecting to more information.
• Is the "lesser of two evils" taking place? (Organic food isn't necessarily healthy food.)
• Do benefits outweigh the negatives? (Organic ingredients or carbon offsets don't negate hazardous materials, pollution, or negative community impacts.)

Just as it is important to look out for greenwashing claims, it is equally important that you avoid imparting unfounded or misleading information as you report and promote your work. Most greenwashing claims do not originate from malice, but from ignorance, sloppiness, or miscommunication between product development and marketing teams. You can avoid making greenwash claims through the following best practicesz:

1. Knowing Yourself

Before you plan your marketing strategy or design a press release, determine how green you really are.

2. Be green by design, not luck

If your baseline analysis reveals that you are not as green as you originally thought, its time to walk more of the walk. When creating a strategic sustainability plan or designing/re-designing a product or service, start with sustainability goals. You will find that the green marketing will fall into place when the product or service is a manifestation of your guiding principles.

3. Check and check again

Once you have something worth marketing, it is important to do some double-checking. Consider both internal and external experts who can give their opinion before you go public.

4. Seek a stamp of approval

If it is within your means and practical for your field, invite third parties to endorse your product or service. Don't be dissuaded if their certification is difficult to obtain. This is exactly the reason the logo has consumer trust: it is an indicator of your credibility. If you cannot reach certification immediately, set it as a goal for the near future.

5. Select words and images with care.

Words and images can give a misleading impression. Some words, like organic, carry legal definitions. The following list consists of words that are popular examples that have lost some of their meaning through overuse and misuse in recent years. If you use them, be sure to justify what you mean:

• Eco-friendly
• Natural                                                
• Non-toxic
• Green 
  
• Pollutant-free                                   
• Carbon neutral
• Not tested on animals                                   
  
• Ethical                                               
• Fair
• Low-impact                                                           
  
• Clean                                               
• Recyclable
• Environmentally friendly                                   
  
• Energy efficient                                   
• Zero Waste
• Zero carbon                                                           
  
• Low Carbon

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