“Green” products are seemingly everywhere these days. Marketers riding the green wave are flooding us with messages about environmental-friendly this and natural, sustainable that. We’re surrounded by so many environmental claims that people are experiencing eco-anxiety as they try to figure out how to truly green their lives. How do you avoid greenwashing — misleading claims about the environmental benefits of a product or service — and make educated choices? Watch out for “The Six Sins of Greenwashing”" as defined by TerraChoice:
1. Sin of the hidden trade-off – the suggestion that a product is green based on an unreasonably narrow set of attributes without attention to other important environmental issues. Example: An electronic product that is really energy efficient, but laden with mercury.
2. Sin of no proof – a claim that cannot be substantiated by easily accessible information or third-party certification. Example: Personal care products (e.g. shampoo) that say they don’t test on animals, but offer no evidence or certification.
3. Sin of vagueness – a claim that is so poorly defined or broad that its real meaning is likely to be misunderstood by the consumer. Example: A product that claims it’s “all natural.” Arsenic, uranium, and mercury are all natural, and they’re poisonous. “All natural” is totally meaningless without further elaboration.
