According to history, it was in 1986 when environmentalist Jay Westerveld coined the term ‘greenwashing’. In his essay, he discussed how a certain hotel chain he checked into encouraged reusing towels, but that seemingly environment-friendly act actually benefited the said establishment by saving them the cost of doing laundry.

Throughout the years, sadly, deception in the form of greenwashing has become exceedingly common. With the general public being more concerned with the environment and being mindful of what and how they purchase, companies have seen an opportunity to bank on this lifestyle.

What is greenwashing?

Greenwashing is the practice of falsely promoting environmental efforts or spending more resources to promote an organization as green, than actually engaging in environmentally sound practices. This practice results in false or deceptive information about an organization’s environmental strategies, goals, motivations, and actions.

Simply put, among many other examples, greenwashing is when a piece of clothing is claimed to be made with organic and fair-trade materials or recycled products, when the company that distributes it is a major fast fashion retailer that contributes to a large amount of textile waste.

What effect does it have on companies and ordinary people?

The act of greenwashing downplays legitimate efforts done by other companies that really care.

While providing more business and money to companies who use this tactic, it damages the earth we live in catastrophically because people would keep on purchasing and patronizing products they thought were clean and green.

While providing more business and money to companies who use this tactic, it damages the earth we live in catastrophically because people would keep on purchasing and patronizing products they thought were clean and green.

On the other hand, the will and contribution of consumers to supposedly avoid waste and help the environment thrive is in vain when they unknowingly support these greenwashing corporations.

How can we spot greenwashing?

A little research and checking the labels further can help everyone avoid greenwashed products. What are the things one should be on the lookout for when making purchases?

* Certification
Familiarize yourself with certifications that provide assurance that products meet specific requirements to be deemed green.

* Wordings
Investigate deeper into the big claims made in a product's ads. Do they sound true, or just big, scientific terms that can easily sway buyers into thinking that they know what they're talking about?

* News about the company or manufacturer
More specifically, into their environmental issues! Have there been reports about their ingredients, how they treat their workers, and their manufacturing processes are? Search them up to get more idea of who they are and if they're all just lip service, or not.

Going green is a process, and it's not a surprise if sticking to it can be tedious. But with the right intention and the correct approach, the world can be well on its way to recovery if truly green products are put into the spotlight, rather than misleading ones.