Happy Friday everyone!
Today we’re talking about Greenwashing. Greenwashing refers to deceptive marketing tactics used by companies to falsely or excessively promote their products or practices as being natural or safe for the environment.
I think this is a great topic that is constantly up for debate given our increased levels of consumption and advancement in technology as well as the emergence of discussions on environmental protection and climate change. Given that these discussions have increased the environmental awareness of consumers, companies have shifted their focus to sustainable manufacturing or at least try to appear sustainable in order to maintain and increase their market share.
The more I scroll through social media, the more I witness companies marketing environmentally safe, animal friendly or cruelty free products. But what percentage of those products actually make a difference? Or have companies just utilized deceptive wording to convince us to purchase their products?
One company which has recently come under fire for its ‘environmental friendly policy’ is Apple. The company has decided to remove the power adapter from their iPhone 12 packaging on the basis that there are many chargers in circulation thus, reducing e-waste. However, they have not committed to halting the production of new power adapters and many see it as an additional accessory that they must now purchase given that it may have the power to charge phones faster. What do you think?
With regards to personal care products, according to the Food and Drug Administration of the United States (making reference to them because the U.S is a principal trading partner for the Caribbean region), there are no legal definitions for the terms “cruelty-free” and “not tested on animals”. Companies may also use these labels to only refer to the final product although inputs may have interacted with animals. Fortunately, some companies have gone on to utilise scientific research and non-animal testing instead.
I know this may seem like a lot to digest and it’s not like we can be there at every step of the manufacturing process. In my opinion it all comes back down to using your discretion to the best of your ability to purchase items that are within your budget. I want to hear from you! Have you heard about this term before? Which industry do you think has had the most instances of greenwashing?
If you want to know a little bit more about Greenwashing in the Caribbean, check out this amazing post by Rhianna Smith:
And for more info on Apple and E-waste:
https://www.wired.com/story/apple-iphone-no-charger-gallium-nitride/
For more information on product labelling and the FDA:
https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-labeling-claims/cruelty-freenot-tested-animals
- Caron D.