 Today every product, from a car
to a refrigerator; from a sheet of
paper to a building aspires to Go
green or at least Show Green.
The services industry, too,
especially ones like tourism and information technology, has
joined the race. Unfortunately,
the trend is not as healthy as it
sounds. To be eco-friendly is
being used as a marketing tool
by many. It makes for appealing
advertisements, too. As per a
research done by TerraChoice, a
Canada-based certification
agency, companies everywhwere
are rampantly practicing the ‘six
sins of greenwashing’ or painting
a spurious eco-friendly picture of
their products.
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 Sin of Vagueness
A feature that is so unclear and ill-defined that it only misleads the consumers. For instance, an image of a symbol is portrayed but no explanation is offered on what it depicts. .What does this mean—that the product can be recycled, or it packaging? What?
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Sin of Irrelevance
Highlighting a feature that is anyway banned. For instance, labelling an airconditioner ‘No CFCs’ (chlorofluorocarbons) should fetch no brownie points, because there is a global ban on the gas anyway.
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 Sin of Lesser of Two Evils
An eco feature is highlighted where the whole product category is at the centrestage anyway, for being at all eco-friendly. For instance, organic cigarettes, green insecticides.
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 Sin of Fibbing
An outrightly false claim. When
a manufacturer simply does not bothers about consequences
and lies. |
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Greenwashing is a form of brainwashing with an eco twist. The industry convinces the consumers that its products are not only good for themselves, but also good for the Earth. The claim is not backed by hard evidence though, like certification or actual practices on the ground.
Greenwashers’ commit one or all of these sins: |
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 Sin of Hidden Trade-Off
Only one eco-friendly feature is adapted and highlighted, while others, which might be polluting and harmful, are overlooked. For example, a product may use recyclable packaging but emit toxins while being produced. |
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 Sin of No Proof
A statement is repeated and repeated and repeated yet
again. But there is no evidence, whatsoever, to support it. For example, a producer of electric bulbs claims to be energy
efficient but has no certification
to prove this. |
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