You may have heard the term, but wondered how exactly greenwashing is defined. Greenwashing occurs when more time and financial resources are spent on advertising, labeling and marketing green products than is spent actually implementing environmentally sound practices. Unfortunately, the terms “natural”, “non-toxic,” and “eco-friendly” are often misused. Here are four tell-tale signs of product greenwashing to be aware of:
- Fluffy or Vague Language. Terms like “all natural” or “free of (insert toxic chemical name)” are not regulated by the government and are unverified.
- Partial or Absent List of Ingredients. All ingredients should be listed to provide 100% transparency.
- Unverified Health Claims. Sad, but true, many companies do fabricate claims or data. Request to see supporting scientific studies.
- Questionable Parent Company. If a product is marketed by a company that is known for toxic outputs, the chances are good that the product’s formula has not undergone the proper level of greening.