Greenwashing

What Is “Greenwashing” and How Is It Harmful?

While buying eco-friendly items may make us feel good, major companies are not always truthful about their production methods. This theme helps introduce this harmful practice and how you can incorporate education on greenwashing into your programs.

“Greenwashing” is when a company or corporation encourages you to purchase a more sustainable product without changing its business practices. In this way, the company capitalizes on your interest to be more sustainable without living up to its promises. As a result, green marketing is not always truthful and often tells a one-sided story of the production process.

How to Avoid Greenwashing

• Research where you buy from and aim to buy less.
• Educate yourself and others on how to spot greenwashing.
• Advocate for transparency from large companies and corporations when it comes to their sustainable practices (or lack thereof).

Program Ideas

• Host an open forum night to discuss how your community may fall for green marketing and how you can work to prevent it.
• Watch an environmentally-conscious film like The True Cost to explore how overlooked business practices impact lives across the world.