The global population has recently turned its collective attention to the imminent threat of global warming and the dire effects it will have on our flora, fauna and Iwi. It is no wonder most businesses are concerned about maintaining a clean, green image. To turn a blind eye to the damage being done to our world, would seem callous and uncaring - which would not be good for business!

Good marketing is often the deciding factor between who wins and who loses in the economic game. It is not only businesses who are worried, it is the lay public too. Many consumers are making a concerted effort to make sustainable choices. This can look a variety of ways; checking grocery items for palm oil, fair trade symbols and country of origin. Unfortunately, conglomerates are aware of these trending ethical efforts and will prey on consumers’ good intentions by using a tactic called ‘greenwashing’.

Greenwashing is when businesses employ the use of advertising campaigns, marketing strategies and slogans to imply their goods and services are environmentally beneficial, when they are in fact the opposite. Often companies spend more time, money and resources on appearing sustainable, than actually being sustainable.

Minimising environmental impact takes a lot of effort; it requires finding local resources, ensuring communities are not being polluted and making the shift to sustainable materials and means of production. It is much easier to chuck a chunk of change at a marketing agency. These guys do a good job of manipulating the lay public into believing business’s when they say they are doing their very best to tackle the climate crisis. This facade is relatively easy to accomplish when you have the funds to enact it.

Deceitful advertising methods have been present in society since the rise of consumer capitalism. Companies want to get an edge over the competition and are willing to do so by any means necessary. Greenwashing slows our progress in the fight against plastic ocean pollution, air pollution and global species extinctions. The term itself was first coined by environmentalist Jay Westerveld in 1986, as he noticed the increasing number of hotels tricking their visitors into keeping outgoing costs as low as possible. The ‘save the towel’ movement was on the rise, with signs hung up in hotel bathrooms urging patrons to use their towel multiple times before washing in order to ‘save the planet’. This was all an elaborate ploy to ensure the hotel was reducing costs where possible. Westerveld noticed that environmental conservation efforts were not witnessed at any other point throughout the service chain in most hotels that used the strategy. This is a classic example of emotionally manipulating consumers in an effort to economically benefit a business.

Sadly, environmentally conscious consumers are being played.

The good news is that the public has become increasingly aware of greenwashing tactics and are putting pressure on governments and local bodies to do something about it. There is an increasing demand for the opportunity to practice conscious consumption and the people have had enough.

What can we do about it?

Some NGO’s, media outlets and individuals are resorting to the ‘name, shame and blame’ approach. This entails doing a bit of research about where products come from, how they are made and how these things contradict their marketing strategy. The next step is to simply speak up about it and seek answers from producers. Mainstream media outlets are often in bed with large conglomerates who employ greenwashing tactics, so the truth rarely finds such a large platform. This is why it is important for us to take action on a community level; whether online or in person.

On the flip side, it is important to identify those businesses that truly are doing their best when it comes to reducing emissions and negative impacts on our planet. After doing some digging, share what you have found; let your mates know about your favourite brands, then use your voice or social media to shout it from the rooftops in hopes of giving the most ethical companies a better chance in the rat race.

Check out some interesting ideas on how to spot greenwashing here, here and here!

xx

Researched + written by Erin Cox

Edited by Fi Clements