What is greenwashing and how do you spot it?
Over the summer, I had the chance to work with Climate and Capital Media, an organization that reports on the climate economy. The climate economy, a somewhat vague term, pertains to companies focused on tackling climate change, or large conglomerates that implement sustainable initiatives, green bonds, and more.
What fascinated me the most was analyzing companies’ commitment to sustainable practices. Sometimes, when a corporation announces a new plan to reduce their carbon footprint, the pure sentiment of the news overshadows the practicality and truthfulness of the claims. The term “greenwashing” is used to describe these instances of subverted sustainability.
As people become more aware of climate change and more eager to mitigate its effects, consumers’ opinions towards businesses’ environmental actions begin to become more important. Companies may choose to portray themselves to be more sustainable than they actually are.
Volkswagen (VW) advertised in 2016 that VW and Audi vehicles sold globally used “clean diesel.” They wanted consumers to feel less guilty about driving cars and encourage a wave of Americans to switch from gas to diesel.
However, VW’s cars had mechanisms that misrepresented the true amount of emissions they released, skewing the tests from regulators. Eventually, VW was forced to repay the people who were tricked into buying these cars on the notion that they were more environmentally friendly.
There were also greater implications on the climate economy that spurred this issue. In the United States, NBC reported that within a year after the scandal broke, the amount of diesel passenger vehicles sold decreased from 4,500 a month to 222.
The legacy of VW’s misinformation lives on. For example, in Hamburg, Germany, VW’s diesel cars manufactured in this time period are banned completely.
Thinking about the broader concept and implications of greenwash is very important. It is crucial, as consumers, to be intentional in our support of businesses and to consider the true environmental agenda of the places we shop.
In the VW case, government regulators discovered their false advertising. However, there are still some things individuals can look for to spot a disingenuous company.
One of easiest ways to spot an instance of greenwash is to look at the proof or concrete information a company shares. For example, if a business were to announce a goal for a reduction of emissions or waste but not provide the way in which they plan to achieve it, there is a great possibility that it is a case of greenwashing.
Another classic example of greenwashing is when companies advertise that their service is more environmentally friendly than the alternative.
For example, in the VW case, diesel was supposed to be an alternative to the gas engine. And while they are in fact more efficient, VW inflated the positive impact that diesel engines actually had on the environment.
I hope to continue to look through the lens of greenwashing throughout this year, whether it occurs at the level of the College, the greater Maine community, or the national level, and I encourage other students to do the same.
~ Adrian Visscher `24
