Facts
Term when companies make false or misleading statements about the environmental benefits of a product
What is greenwashing?
This fast-food chain switched to paper straws in an effort to be more sustainable. It turns out their straws were not recyclable and instead required further cutting of trees.
What is McDonald’s?
This coffee company announced it would eliminate plastic straws to cut waste, but replaced them with “sippy cup” lids that actually use more plastic overall.
What is Starbucks?
True or False: All B-Corps are sustainable
What is False?
What language can you look out for to spot greenwashing?
What is “eco-friendly” or “produced sustainably”?
The hotel product over which the term “greenwashing” was coined
What is towels?
This Apple product has been falsely marketed as “carbon neutral”
What is an Apple Watch?
This fast-fashion company promoted a “Conscious Collection” while continuing mass production with unsustainable materials.
What is H&M?
True or False: More than 6000 companies are B-Corps certified
What is True?
How can a company avoid greenwashing?
What is performing regular audits, backing up claims with evidence, using specific language, avoiding misleading language, etc?
A greenwashing technique that focuses on one environmental claim while ignoring the rest of the product's negative aspects.
What is red herring?
This car company marketed “clean diesel” while secretly installing devices to cheat emissions tests.
What is Volkswagen?
This cleaning product brand promotes itself as “green” and “plant-based,” but has been found to contain harmful chemicals and packaged in single-use plastics.
What is Method?
There is a single official global “eco-certification” logo.
What is False?
This practice involves openly sharing a company’s environmental impact data so consumers can make informed choices.
What is transparency or public reporting?
Certification that holds companies to social and environmental standards
What is a B-Corp?
This oil giant ran ads about algae-based fuel while 99% of its business was still fossil fuels.
What is ExxonMobil?
This US airline announced it was the first to go “carbon neutral” but it relied primarily on funding carbon offset programs such as reforestation and renewable energy instead of directly reducing emissions.
What is Delta Airlines?
True or False: A missing third-party verification on a “green” label is a red flag for greenwashing
What is True?
People who research products, check labels, and choose items based on environmental and ethical impacts are practicing this.
What is conscious consumerism?
Term when companies sell products based on legitimate environmental claims
What is green marketing?
This soda company claimed their bottles were made of 25% recycled plastic to distract from the truth that they are still a global plastic polluter.
What is Coca-Cola?
This sunscreen brand marketed its products as “reef-friendly,” yet they contained oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are chemicals harmful to coral reefs.
What is Banana Boat?
True or False: A product labeled “biodegradable” is safe for the environment and will break down completely.
What is False? (Certain products will not break down in a natural setting and may need an industrial facility)
What US state restricts the selling of plastic products labeled as “biodegradable” or “compostable”?
What is California?