Squashing Green-Washing
Recently a
lot of friends have been asking me "Is this cleaning product,
lotion/soap/cosmetic/kid toy really green?" Far from being a sustainable litmus
test, I cannot help but tilt my head, analyze and give my
opinion. I'm not looking into a green crystal ball to help me see
through green-hype or green-washing. I'm using some basic guidelines to help me
determine if something is truly green and if I want to buy/support/share it.
In this gallery
Tip #1 – Read labels. Look beyond the marketing and see what is in your product. In the case of cleaning supplies, not every company is listing all of their ingredients. Many of those that do are selling ‘green’ options containing synthetic fragrances, dyes, 1,4-dioxane contaminated surfactants, and/or petroleum products. Which leads me to tip #2.
Tip #2 – If it screams “I’m Eco Friendly!” be skeptical--and follow Tip #1. Most products that are sustainable won’t be shouting it at you, or marketing themselves as only green. In my opinion, sustainable options should not harm the environment (air, water, soil), should not be resource-intensive, should support communities, should be non-toxic to human health, should be effective and should be priced competitively. Of course these criteria are not always met in today’s marketplace, but too often I see products that shout about being green that aren't even close to being sustainable (think any type of single-use bottled water, or ‘natural’ body care product with SLS and synthetic fragrances).
Tip #3 – Sustainable doesn’t mean spendy. I have found so many great green options that have saved our family money, up front and/or over time – CSAs, soap nuts for laundry, DIY cleaners like baking soda and vinegar, and ditching paper towels, to name a few. While choosing where to shop and what to buy are important green habits, our practices and behaviors can also have a big impact.
Look at your daily practices and habits for ways to live lighter on the earth; consider choices such as what we eat, how we travel, and sometimes what products we can do without. Tip #4 – We cannot buy solutions for everything; sometimes not buying is the greenest option.
Tip #5 – Look for transparency from companies. This goes for just about anything you buy. In today’s marketplace, look especially for transparency in eco-certifications. We are seeing eco-labels that are not certified by a third party, and some that are even “eco-certified” by the product’s parent company (as if a company would sell a product it didn’t endorse). Look for internationally recognized, independent certifications.
Tip #1 – Read labels. Look beyond the marketing and see what is in your product. In the case of cleaning supplies, not every company is listing all of their ingredients. Many of those that do are selling ‘green’ options containing synthetic fragrances, dyes, 1,4-dioxane contaminated surfactants, and/or petroleum products. Which leads me to tip #2.
There isn't just one path to greener living. The multitude of choices and behaviors is inspiring and empowering for me, but I am becoming concerned about the marketing methods and green myths I have seen lately. Green-washing is something we all want to be aware of and want to be able to see through. Check out
The Green Mama's site and
blog to learn more about organic personal care
cheater brands.
For more on green-washing click HERE.
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