The market is going green. I get that. You can buy environmentally friendly deodorant, diapers, dairy and dolls. But I wondered as I was shopping the other day, what does eco-friendly really mean? How do I know if those potato chips really are “certified organic”? And what does this cute little leaf on my soap stating “environmentally safe” really mean? And what makes a product green? Who’s to say it’s not just green-ish?

So being the responsible green consumer that I am, I did some digging. What I found wasn’t entirely surprising. Turns out we, as responsible consumers (yes I called you responsible), need to be aware of and watch out for Greenwashing. Yes, the industry of green marketing has gotten so big that there is an official term that is used to describe “the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service,” defined by Wikipedia. 

According to a study by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing, only one in 1,018 North American products claiming to be green backed up their claims in a satisfactory way. Granted, their standards are a little tough, but the findings are a good guideline for consumers wanting to be (here it comes again) responsible. 

TerraChoice came up with The Six Sins of Greenwashing. They scratched from their list any product/company that “sinned” one or more times. In reality, we should choose the product that “sins” the least. 

Sin of Vagueness
Many terms are widely used in the market, but are unregulated. Unless a product defines what it means by “nontoxic,” “all-natural,” or “environmentally friendly” (remember the leaf sticker on the soap), it’s possible those terms are meaningless. Legitimate environmental claims are not vague.

Sin of the Hidden Trade-off
A product that emphasizes its responsibility in one area may be causing environmental destruction in another. Products touting bold claims about a single eco-friendly feature or practice are often misleading to consumers who automatically believe that other aspects of that product and/or company are environmentally friendly. For example paper may be derived from wood that is sustainably harvested, but the company uses excessive chlorine in the paper-making process, or fails to use recycled content. Or a cleaning product manufacturer may produce their product by a facility powered by renewable energy, but what about the cleaning solution itself? Their product still may contain ingredients that are hazardous for human health and the environment. Review products with single environmental claims carefully to ensure you’re not being given the wrong impression.

Sin of No Proof
Certified organic potato chips may sound great, but if there isn’t proof, there’s no way for you to know if the claim is valid. All environmental claims should be verified by an independent certifying body, or the manufacturer should be able to provide the necessary documentation to prove a claim. And it should be easy for you to find. If not, you have to wonder if they are hiding something…

Sin of Irrelevance
If a label makes a claim that is irrelevant to the product or that applies to every product in a certain category, it really says nothing about how green that product is. For example, CFCs have been banned since 1978, so labeling a product as “CFC free” means nothing. This one is tough since they really are factual claims, so be careful.

Sin of Fibbing
Companies shouldn’t lie and we shouldn’t let them get away with it.  Products should meet the claims on their labels. Those labeled “organic” or with a third-party certification seal (for example, Green Seal) can be checked against lists available from the certifier.

Sin of the Lesser of Two Evils
Things that do not exist: environmentally friendly pesticides, organic cigarettes and green gasoline. Labeling an environmentally toxic product as a greener alternative is deceptive because the product is fundamentally not good for the environment. A common example is the SUV. The most fuel-efficient SUV is still less preferable if a mid-sized passenger car will do.

-Kelsey Skidmore

Sources: http://www.TheDailyGreen.com and http://www.govpro.com
For a PDF of “The Six Sins of Greenwashing” study by TerraChoice, visit http://www.terrachoice.com/files/6_sins.pdf

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