As coined by environmentalist Jay Westerveld in 1986, the term ‘greenwashing’ refers to the practice of misleading consumers and audiences into believing that a product, service, or even the organization itself is environmentally friendly or sustainable when in fact they aren’t.
In most cases, greenwashing is the result of a lack of knowledge. Pressure to adhere to environmental standards is increasing as sustainability becomes more widely discussed. As a result, even businesses that lack environmental knowledge are increasingly eager to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability.
Third-party certifications do netherlands phone number list not back up claims that a company’s environmental effect has been reduced.
Vague promises, such as ‘all natural’, ‘made with recycled materials’ or ‘eco-friendly’, with no additional information.
Adopting an overly restrictive definition of “green” in order to promote just certain kinds of products or services that have minimal negative effects on the environment. McDonald’s conversion to paper straws is a good illustration of this trend in the fast-food industry. Initially, the shift was applauded by green consumers, but it quickly became clear that these straws could not be recycled.
Claims about the firm or product are not relevant, even if they are true.
Promoting a sustainable element of the business, while overlooking the company’s wider environmental impact, is considered the lesser of two evils