What is it?
A deceiving practice to spin companies and products as "green" and eco-friendly, more than they actually are in reality. It's considered a misleading marketing tactic that works by appealing to customers who want to be more environmentally-sound.
PR Stunts
Recent years have seen consumers more environmentally-conscious about their purchases. Marketing products as "green" is a way for companies to jump on the trend, without actually changing most (if any) of their business practices.
Lax Regulations
Agencies all over the world have been lax in their stance against greenwashing, with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) only being updated in 2010 to address "scammy" marketing practices.
Spot the Greenwashing
Buzzwords like "green" and "all-natural" are easy to use and poorly regulated, as are "green"-evoking images in packaging. Instead, research on parent companies and values to see if a business is transparent about its practices. The more specific they are about what they're doing, the less likely they are to be greenwashed.
Learn more about Ardent Earth here.
Sources: Medium, Disruptive Design, One Green Planet, Business News Daily, Our Changing Climate.