Issue #23 – July 22, 2022
Greenwashing
Here’s a question: Who owns Burt’s Bees? You know, the “Earth-friendly Natural Personal Care Company.” The honey and bee’s wax company. Toothpaste. Maine. Natural. Right? Burt’s Bees, that cozy-sounding “all natural” company now makes over two hundred products including pajamas and pop-up holders for smart phones. It has annual revenues of over $250M. It is a subsidiary of Clorox which is a subsidiary of P&G.
So, what does “Earth-friendly” actually mean?
Most often, terms such as eco-friendly, recyclable, natural, sustainable, ethically-sourced, biodegradable, earth-friendly, socially conscious, lowered emissions, and environmentally safe, are just made-up marketing terms used in advertising packaging.
They are vague and undefined and tell us little or nothing about what is actually involved in the product or the energy use in manufacturing, packaging, material sourcing, worker treatment, shipping, waste disposal, who owns the company, or what are their investments? At best, these terms mean little or nothing. At worst, they are false or misleading.
These claims are likely just green marketing or greenwashing. Earth-friendly terms or green and blue packaging used as marketing ploys. They are designed to create an image that makes you feel good.
Sometimes, the “greenwashing” is not intentional. The company or the organization may believe it is doing the right thing but doesn’t have a good understanding of what the “right thing” is. The environmental impact of a policy or a product is complex. There are direct and indirect effects on the environment (material sourcing, pollutants, depletion of resources, etc.), as well as social effects and concerns (child labor, workplace exposure, wages, long term health effects, etc.) governance problems (willful or naïve reporting errors, price gouging, breaking environmental laws, etc.). All affect sustainability, carbon emissions, pollution, and harmful waste.
What really is done with our trash and “recycling”? What is in the cereal you eat or beverages you drink? What is in the earth-friendly soaps, detergents, fertilizers, organic or sustainably sourced products you buy and use? What is the actual environmental impact of buying a new electric vehicle versus continuing to use the vehicle you already have or of buying the banana or coffee or kiwis shipped thousands of miles, or frozen waffles or bottled water or toilet paper or underwear or grass-fed beef or the toothpaste you like? Looking beyond the marketing labels is not easy but it is necessary. The more we ask, “What is the environmental cost of this product?” the more likely it is we might get straight answers.