Updated 23rd September, 2010

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Whether you’re new to the green lifestyle or you’re a committed long-term supporter of environmental causes, you know the importance of purchasing products responsibly.  In today’s marketplace, there is no shortage of consumer products that promise to benefit the environment.  However, determining which of these products and companies are REALLY providing a benefit to the environment and which are simply using it as a marketing gimmick can be difficult.

Greenwashing is misleading consumers into thinking that a product is better for the environment than it actually is.  In order to make the best use of your spending power you have to identify greenwashing companies and avoid them whenever possible.

Packaging

Environmentally-friendly packaging is one of the more obvious ways to determine if a company is committed to helping the environment.  Regardless of how green the actual product is, if the packaging is big, bulky, or non-biodegradable, then something is not right.  Look for minimal packaging as well as the potential to recycle the packaging later.

The labelling – read the fine print

By law, companies are required to label their products.  See if the product is made with recycled materials and read the ingredients list.  Often, claims will be made that a product doesn’t contain a certain chemical and is therefore better for the environment when in fact, it’s not necessary  to use those chemicals.  Check the competitors’ products and if no comparative product contains the chemicals in question, then something’s fishy.

The Seven Sins of Greenwashing

In 2009, the environmental marketing firm TerraChoice published the report The Seven Sins of Greenwashing. It’s findings indicated that 98% of products studied committed at least one greenwashing “sin”.

Contact the Company

If you have any doubts about a company’s impact on the environment or on its claims, ask for more information.  Enquire about their green efforts.  Companies should be able to provide consumers with this information.  However, if anything seems sketchy, ask for more details.  For example, if the company states that it will plant a tree for each of its products which are purchased, ask where the trees are being planted and what those trees will be used for.

Certification?

One way to ensure a product lives up to certain standards for environmental-friendliness is to look for certification marks.  This does not mean that only products with widely-recognised certifications are environmentally friendly.

Also, beware as some companies use schemes that are essentially created by themselves and do not have third-party verification.

Do your own research

There are many websites and blogs devoted to discussing greenwashing.  Try a search for “Company X greenwashing” in Google.  However, beware that there are no censors online and many sites promote inaccurate information so you’ll have to use your knowledge and instincts to decide on the credibility of these sites.

Also, check out the company’s website.  Often, you will find additional information on their products and on their company policies regarding the environment and social responsibility.

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