How to determine whether a product is really green or non -toxic
Have you ever bought a piece of clothing because it was made with “sustainable” fabric? Or have you bought an “environmentally friendly” cleaning product or a “green” skin care article? Who does not love earth packaging and a “all natural ingredients” in a striking font?
You can probably guess based on the use of quotes that words such as “green” and “environmentally friendly” can be problematic. Why? Because together with other environmentally friendly sounding terms, these words are not clearly defined by an organization or a management committee of third -party providers. And unfortunately this means that these words … well, not much.
Wishes have meant that companies make it too easy to participate in a dodgy marketing practice called “Greenwashing”, who complicated shopping for ethically -minded consumers who want to support the environment, stay away from toxic chemicals and feel comfortable with regard to their purchases. And in some cases this means that people who strive to reduce their CO2 footprint and make careful buying decisions instead of helping the planet.
But what does Greenwashing mean? And how can you protect yourself and in a broader sense the planet from Greenwashing? Naturpedic offers answers.
What is Greenwashing?
Greenwashing, who is also known as Green Sheen or Green Marketing, refers to when companies earn false or misleading claims about how environmentally friendly their products, services or business practices are. If Greenwashing takes its name from “Whitewashing”, a conscious attempt to cover up stressful details, a greenwashing can belong:
- Advertising
- Prampays
- Rebranding
- Mission statements
- Packaging
- Partnerships
Basically, Greenwashing can assume any form of corporate communication (or a lack of communication by restricting information that a company is poorly reflected). You have probably met it before, even if you didn't notice it.
Why do companies do this?
The short answer is of course for the money. From office clinging to paperless banking to reusable food bags, “Green” has been a large part of our culture for some time, and many companies have seen this as an opportunity to benefit and not simply do good.
In addition, consumers reacted. A study in 2021 showed that 78% of people are more likely to buy a product if it is described as environmentally friendly. The same study reported that 64% of the Americans will actually pay more for sustainable products (and that in particular increases to 75% via millennials.)
Of course, companies (and the real people behind them) can make honest mistakes, and not every company that is ever busy with greenwashing is evil. However, companies have the responsibility to ensure that they can justify all claims they apply.
Do you want a few Greenwashing examples?
Examples of Greenwashing are not difficult to find. For example, a cosmetics company can add a little aloe vera or vitamin E to its formula and mark its products as “natural”, although it has not made any changes to the remaining ingredients.
Or a detergent can contain baking powder and display in large, fat letters on the box that “cleans with natural enzyme action”! … but the package does not mention that the product also contains phthalates, sodium laurel sulfate and so on.
In the mattress industry there is a common example of greenwashing when mattress companies are made from soybeans they use. What could be more natural, right? Unfortunately, the soybean content is minimal (sometimes only 3% to 5%), and the rest of the material is typically polyurethane foam with questionable chemicals.
Or you could say that there are no toxic adhesives and adhesives in your comfort layers. Here, too, it sounds great if you do not yet know that adhesives and adhesives are not really used in comfort layers – they are most frequently found in the coils.
Common Greenwashing tactics in marketing
Why is Greenwashing so widespread? Because with subtle tactics it is easy to get along. As we have already mentioned, many companies simply use vague, undefined terms such as “natural” or “environmentally friendly”, which are difficult to prove or refute. Here you will find some additional Greenwashing practices that you should pay attention to:
Unfounded claims
When evaluating companies or products, it is important to search for serious certification and reviews of third -party providers that ensure that strict chemical, ecological and social standards are observed.
The three remarkable certifications include the world's leading processing standard for textiles, the global organic textile standard (GOTS) as well as two human health and ecosystem product testification programs, Made Safe® and EEC Verified®.
If a company or a product is really environmentally friendly, you have verifiable evidence of such claims thanks to these certifications.
Present to give the confirmation
If you see a graphic that resembles a seal or an emblem, but is not assigned an official organization, be careful. Some companies can design graphics that imitate official certification seals in order to incorrectly suggest confirmation by legitimate organizations.
You see this a lot with terms like “100% natural”. The aim is to mislead customers that a product has subjected to environmental or health standard reviews if it is actually not the case. Protect yourself by checking the certifying organization, searching certification documents on a company's website and advising official databases to confirm the certification status of a product.
Irrelevant claims
Some companies emphasize environmental claims that offer consumers who are striving for really environmentally friendly products correctly, exactly, exactly, no real value.
Is a company that claims to be free from a toxic chemical that is usually not used in this type of product? Or a chemical that was legally prohibited, which means that every product should be free of it in this category? These are warning signs.
To navigate these red flags, research a wide range of products before buying, look for relevant certifications (see a topic here?) And always question the importance of the claims. If it seems irrelevant and you can otherwise find no evidence, it is likely!
Suggestive pictures
We first buy more with our eyes than we like to notice. Websites, packaging and marketing materials that use beautiful images of lush forests, sparkling streams and sunsets without context can try to send the wrong message in order to create the feeling of environmental responsibility.
The pictures create a positive brand association, but may not always reflect the company's actual environmental practices. Remember to look beyond the pictures, search for specific information and check claims.
Single product
If a company introduces a single product that is marketed as “green” or environmentally friendly, it is important to examine the wider context of its business.
What else does the company (or the parent company) do? Is this so -called “green” product (or “green mattress”) produced in the same factory in which toxic chemicals are used? Does the company provide most of its profit from products that damage the environment?
Sometimes an independent environmentally friendly product serves as a marketing tool rather than a real commitment to sustainability. In order not to be misleading, look at the company's entire product line, other brands of your parent company and its environmental impact.
Hidden partnerships and investments
It is not just about the company itself, but also about its partnerships and investment activities if you evaluate a company's environmental claims.
Spend some time to research other companies. This brand is associated. For example, produce certified products, but invest in efforts that cause pollution? A company can market itself as an environmentally friendly and at the same time with initiatives or financing initiatives that contradict this.
Resources with which you can avoid greenwashing
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has environmentally friendly guidelines in which it is explained how marketers should be about environmental claims. It is an excellent resource if you want to better understand what companies should legally legally do.
You can also search products in trustworthy databases. For example, the environmental work group (EEC) is a non -profit organization, which is led by scientists, analysts, lawyers and other experts. In addition to his research and legal work, EEC offers extensive online consumer guides who make it easy to check everything from cosmetics and cleaning products to tap water and production. Made Safe offers a similar database that is also very serious.
This story Was from Natural pedic and checked and distributed by Forklift.