Red Alert on Greenwashing - Look Out for These False Claims

‘Going green’ is the in thing and businesses are jumping onto the bandwagon chasing after eco-friendly consumers by offering greener products and business practices. While there are businesses genuinely committed to sustainable practices, unfortunately many ‘claim’ to be environmentally friendly. The claims include at best stretching the truth and at worst concealing harmful environmental practices. Such businesses are guilty of greenwashing.

Greenwash is the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.

Such practices take place everywhere - from big corporation to your local conveniences store. So rampant is the practice that it can be quite bewildering for the consumer and quite difficult to tell the difference between those businesses genuinely dedicated to making a difference and those that are using a green curtain to conceal dark motives.

Here are seven ways in which businesses greenwash: