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In recent years the green movement has gained momentum as more people understand the importance of preserving the earth. The more we learn about how our actions affect the planet, the more people are making a conscious decision to live a greener lifestyle. Whenever there is a shift in consumer habits, new services and products surface to meet consumer needs.

In response to the green movement, many products are now on the market which claim to be “green” in some way or another. Unfortunately not all of the products that carry a green label live up to the claim. The practice of labeling a product as green without any evidence to back up the claim is called greenwashing. Consumers often fall for this marketing ploy and purchase a product based on false information. There is currently no legal definition of what is considered “green”, therefore many companies have been getting away with labeling a product as environmentally friendly without having to prove the claim. The Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on companies that use false information when advertising their products. Until there is a system in place to ensure products carrying a green label are in fact green, consumers can look for the following signs which may indicate greenwashing..

  • No evidence or proof- Realistically, it is easier than one might think to sell products that have been mislabeled. Smart shoppers have learned the importance of paying close attention to the information provided on product labels. In most cases however consumers make a purchase based on the information available at the point of sale with very few people actually taking the time to confirm whether or not the information is factual.
  • No third party or neutral support- Similar to a person who toots their own horn, many greenwashed products are marketed as such with no endorsement from an outside party. Yes, it’s great the the manufacturer claims the product is green, but does anyone else in the industry back up this claim? Has the product been tested and approved by a third party or do you simply take the word of the person profiting from the sale? Greenwashing is often accomplished with a snazzy logo or self made seal indicating the product is green.
  • Drawing attention to insignificant details- Many companies are not willing to risk printing information that they know to be false. Instead they will draw the attention to an irrelevant fact. If a toy company advertises a product is green because “lead paint is not used” the information is not relevant due to the fact that lead paint was banned in 1977. This practice is not as easy to spot when dealing with chemicals and other ingredients that consumers do not readily recognize.

Until there are more regulations or legal definitions in place, consumers are on their own when buying green products. It is not enough to read the label and assume the information is correct. Avoid greenwashed products by carefully reviewing and researching any information available regarding the product and the manufacturer. Most legitimate products will have some resources available to confirm their environmentally friendly claims.



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