How Can Consumers Avoid Greenwashing?

All right, so you’ve read my blog for a semester and are eager to avoid buying greenwashed products in the future. But, you’re wondering: what do I do to avoid greenwashing? As the semester wraps up, I’ll give you some tips on how to shop smart and avoid misleading “green” claims. Thanks to Eco Village Green for their list of helpful tips!

1.       Do Your Homework

Before you invest in a so-called “green” product, you should know what you’re getting into. So, do some research! If a product is environmentally friendly in some regard, the company is usually pretty willing to publish that information online, but be careful: they may not be telling the whole story of the product’s environmental impact. You can also talk to other individuals that are interested in buying green products and find out what they know and recommend.

2.       Be Aware of the Tricks

Companies have any number of ways to mislead the consumer into thinking something is environmentally-friendly. Terms such as “all-natural” and “eco-friendly” are thrown around like crazy. Sometimes, they’re true. Sometimes, they’re irrelevant. And sometimes, they’re completely fabricated. Before you purchase something that claims to be green, try to find proof for their claims, especially if they seem vague or misleading. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, there’s a good chance that the product is trying to pull fleece over your eyes. If a company is environmentally-conscious, they have nothing to hide and will make that information known.

3.       Look for An Eco-Label

But, don’t just look for any label. Only certain labels are meaningful because they prove that the product was evaluated with an objective set of green standards by a third party. Eco Village Green lists six labels as legitimate indicators of objective evaluators of environmental impact: Green Seal, GreenGuard, EcoLogo, Energy Star, WaterSense, and USDA Organic. Make sure you verify that the product has received this label; it may be that the brand has received it, but the product has not, or they may be lying about the certification.

4.       Ask Yourself Questions

It’s important to be open-minded when it comes to shopping for green products, but it’s also important to have a critical eye as you’re making your choices. Ask yourself whether a product’s claims are really relevant. It could be that every product in that category is free of CFC, or an “all-natural” label doesn’t matter for a refrigerator. Be sure to compare products within a category to figure out what your best choice is. And, when all else fails, ask yourself whether you really need that product, especially if it seems harmful or unnecessary. It may be that the product could be doing more to become environmentally-conscious, and you may not want to purchase that product in its current state.

5.       Complain

In the end, companies have no incentive to change their practices unless consumers demand they do so. There are a number of watchdog organizations that are keeping an eye on greenwashing, but you can do your part as well. Call, email, or send a letter to the company in question. Don’t buy their products. Let others know if a company is greenwashing them. Terra Choice has demonstrated that companies are getting better at being green, but they’re not there yet. Inevitably, it’s their job to provide what the consumer wants, and if the consumer wants them to be environmentally-conscious, they’ve got to make an effort to provide that.

Thanks to everyone who has followed my project and read the blog over the semester! I’ve learned a lot about greenwashing, and I hope you have as well.

How Can a Company Avoid Greenwashing?

I had originally intended to end my project by looking for truly green products that avoided the seven sins of greenwashing, but I found myself having a hard time narrowing my focus in a productive way. So, instead, I’ll conclude my greenwashing research by offering guides to avoiding greenwashing, both as a company and as a consumer. First up, let’s see how a company can prevent greenwashing. Thanks to the Terra Choice Marketing Guide for an outline of ways to avoid each of the seven sins (http://tinyurl.com/3jb3erf).

1.       Don’t lie to your consumer.

Seems pretty straightforward, right? Turns out that a lot of companies are bad at this. They’ll use a label for a certification they don’t have or claim a certain percentage of their product is eco-friendly when it isn’t. The first thing a company should do if they’re trying to market environmentally-friendly products is avoid making claims that are completely false. If it’s important to get third-party certification to compete for market share, get it, even if it means changing the way your product is made. If an ingredient is harmful to the environment, don’t say that it isn’t. Basically, if you have to lie to get ahead, you need to go back to the drawing board. Consumers will eventually realize what you’re doing and once that trust is gone, it’s very hard to win back.

2.       Be straightforward with your consumer.

This one seems pretty similar to the first rule, but there’s a subtle differentiation to make here. One of the biggest sins I’ve seen throughout my research is the Sin of Vagueness, making broad or vague claims that may or may not have evidence to back them up. They’re not necessarily lying as much as they’re stretching the truth in a way that misleads the consumer. Therefore, if a brand is going to label something as “natural,” they should define what “natural” means to them, either on the product itself or in an easily accessible form online. It’s also important to list the ingredients of your product so the consumer can see how they’re environmentally-beneficial. This not only includes the make-up of the ingredient itself, but how it is processed and how the product is manufactured. This is something that products often neglect to mention, and it’s as important as what the raw materials are. Companies should be as open and transparent as possible, making information available to the general public. Don’t distract the customer away from environmentally-harmful practices with claims about the green aspects of a product. If something you’re doing isn’t environmentally-conscious, tell the consumer that you’re working to improve upon it and follow through with that action. The educated consumer is understanding and willing to invest in your products over time if they feel you’re trustworthy. My generation, also known as Generation Y, is a group of very fickle consumers who is far more interested in socially-conscious consumption than previous generations, and we’re the audience you’re trying to win over.

3.       Understand the claims you’re making.

It’s not enough to put forth a product that’s harvested from a sustainable forest or that doesn’t use sweatshop labor to produce. Being green is important throughout the entire production and consumption process, and a company needs to understand their environmental impact at each step. That way, they can let their consumer know what they’re doing well and figure out where they can improve. Letting the consumer know that you’re working on something never hurts. Also, you want to insure that you can speak to each of your environmental claims. If you don’t have the evidence to back something up, it won’t take long for the consumer to figure it out.

4.       Know Your Customer

This may seem like a Marketing 101 statement, but it’s more important now than ever. Generation Y doesn’t respond to shout marketing techniques that try to convince them they need something that they don’t. So, don’t waste your time trying to make them feel “green” about a purchase that is harmful or unnecessary. They’re willing to purchase something if they feel the marketing speaks specifically to them. So, get to know what your customers want. Maybe they want all of the environmental information on the product itself, or maybe they only want to look it up online. You want to use language that resonates with them, so long as it’s straightforward and honest. In the end, if you help them find the product that’s right for them, they’ll keep coming back. Relationships are key, and in the era of Marketing 2.0, the consumer is finally able to make their voices heard. Green companies should be listening 24/7. 

Greenwashing Analysis: Tom's of Maine Long-Lasting Care Deodorant

Continuing with my investigation of "green" products, today I'll take a look at Tom's of Maine Long-Lasting Care Deodorant.

First, a bit of background. Tom's of Maine, a division of Colgate-Palmolive, is a maker of natural personal care products, such as toothpaste, soap and deodorant. The company does not use artificial products, nor do they test on animals. The majority of their products are vegan; that is, they don't contain any animal products.

Initial Observations: Tom's of Maine emphasizes the natural aspects of their products. The phrase "natural care" appears above their label and the word "natural" appears above "long-lasting care." This particular stick is lemongrass-scented, so a picture of dew-spotted grass is featured prominently. There is a letter from the company on the back, which states that the use of botanical hops prevents the growth of bacteria that cause odor. The other feature of the back is the ingredients list, which, like the Green Works detergent, contains the technical and common names of some items. For instance, Hamamelis virginiana is also known as Witch's Hazel.

The Sins


Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off: A claim suggesting that a product is green based on a narrow set of attributes without attention to other important environmental issues.
Tom's of Maine claims it's green because its products are natural. But, just because an ingredient comes from nature doesn't mean that it's not harmful in some way. Like Green Works, Tom's of Maine deodorant lists all of its ingredients on its website (http://tinyurl.com/3dwdqar), explains what each is and what its purpose is. Technically, if their definition of green involves natural ingredients, then their product is green; all of the ingredients can be found in nature. But, not all of them are good for the environment. For instance, the main ingredient, propylene glycol, is used in a lot of environmentally-unfriendly products, such as anti-freeze and and solvents. And, it has been known to release high levels of biochemical oxygen demand during degradation in surface waters, which consumes the oxygen that aquatic life needs to survive. It's also unclear from the website how the resources are extracted, which is an important part of being environmentally-friendly.


Sin of No Proof: An environmental claim that cannot be substantiated by easily accessible supporting information or by a reliable third-party certification. 
As far as I can tell, Tom's of Maine deodorant doesn't make unsubstantiated environmental claims. Their claims that zinc ricinoleate can trap odor molecules is a little shaky. Consumers have indicated that the deodorant doesn't prevent odor, and even if it does, the qualities of zinc ricinoleate that prevent odor are relatively unclear. 


Sin of Vagueness: A claim that is so poorly defined or broad that its real meaning is likely to be misunderstood by the consumer. 
This is probably Tom's of Maine deodorant's biggest sin. "Natural" is a very vague and broad term; it means something that comes from nature. But, as I've said before, something that comes from nature isn't necessarily beneficial. The propylene glycol the deodorant contains is a perfect example of this, as it can be harmful to aquatic ecosystems. If a consumer is looking for something that is kind to the environment, the term "natural" is likely to lead them astray. 


Sin of Worshiping False Labels: A product that, through either words or images, gives the impression of third-party endorsement where no such endorsement exists.
Nowhere on the product or the website does the deodorant claim third-party endorsement of any kind, so it's free of this sin.


Sin of Irrelevance: An environmental claim that may be truthful but is unimportant or unhelpful for consumers seeking environmentally preferable products.
This category is often meant for products that advertise being free of an element that has been banned or generally isn't used. Tom's of Maine deodorant doesn't make strong environmental claims, other than being "natural," so we'll call it free of this sin as well.


Sin of Lesser of Two Evils: A claim that may be true within the product category, but that risks distracting the consumer from the greater environmental impact of the category as a whole. 
Like detergent, deodorant is a product whose industry can be very harmful to the environment. Many deodorants use triclosan, which is an anti-bacterial agent that cannot be filtered out during waste water treatment. It often ends up in waterways, where it is toxic to algae. Therefore, it can damage aquatic ecosystems, killing the food source of many animals (http://tinyurl.com/ml6o4h). Deodorants also produce chloro fluro carbons, which can be damaging to the ozone layer (http://tinyurl.com/3gr2okw). So, the fact that Tom's of Maine uses natural ingredients is relatively true, but it distracts the consumer from the fact that artificially-produced deodorant is problematic for the environment. 


Sin of Fibbing: Environmental claims that are simply false.
Except for being vague, it doesn't seem like the deodorant is claiming anything that isn't true.


Overall, Tom's of Maine deodorant is...kind of sinful. It does make the claim that it's "natural," which is both vague and often irrelevant when it comes to being environmentally-conscious. And, its main ingredient is pretty problematic if it gets into water supplies, and it has been linked to health problems in humans. But, this product is saved from heavy greenwashing because it doesn't make a lot of claims it can't back up. They present their mission and ingredients in a straightforward manner, without a lot of extra labeling and images. They're not trying to be something that they aren't. So, if a consumer is looking for a product that's pretty nice to the environment, Tom's of Maine is a good choice. It's certainly better than the vast majority of deodorant on the market, in terms of environmental consciousness.