Greenwashing
Greenwashing is the practice of making misleading or unsubstantiated claims about the environmental benefits of a product, service, technology, or company practice. It's essentially environmental misinformation used for marketing purposes.
Common Greenwashing Tactics
Vague Claims
"Eco-friendly" or "green" without specifics
No Proof
Claims that can't be verified or aren't certified
Hidden Trade-offs
Highlighting one green feature while ignoring larger impacts
Irrelevant Claims
Stating "CFC-free" when CFCs are already banned
Lesser of Two Evils
"Cleaner" cigarettes or "sustainable" fast fashion
Outright Lies
Fake certifications or fabricated data
How to Avoid Greenwashing
Be specific and quantifiable in your claims
Get third-party verification (SBTi, CDP, assurance)
Disclose your methodology and data sources
Acknowledge challenges and areas for improvement
Focus on actual emission reductions, not just offsets
Regulatory Risk
Regulators worldwide are cracking down on greenwashing. The EU Green Claims Directive, US FTC Green Guides, and SEBI in India are all increasing scrutiny of environmental marketing claims.