I think it's fair to say that we all want to do the right thing by our planet. You know, like not trashing it and leaving it in a better state for the future...
But unless you're an expert, it can be downright difficult to know that what you are doing, buying and consuming is legitimately ok for the planet. It can be particularly tricky to navigate all the terms, words and glossy packaging promises that we see. Sometimes, the claims aren't accurate, they are designed purely to entice us into buying things.
Of course, many companies and products are doing the right thing with their claims of doing good things for the environment. (Ahem, YFC!) But many are not, and use ''green'' terms in their marketing efforts to try and trick us into believing a service, product or company is more environmentally friendly than it really is.
This sneakiness is known as 'greenwashing' and, as people that want to do the right thing by the planet, it's something we need to get across.
How Can You Spot Greenwashing
- Keep your eyes peeled for 'fluffy language' - words and terms that are a little ambiguous or don't have a direct meaning. If you are not able to easily validate a claim, it's a potential red flag.
For example, we say that eating food that's produced locally is a do-gooder for the planet, but what does 'local' really mean? In our case, it's food grown and produced less than 250km from our home bases of Newcastle and Sydney, and we are up-front about that.
- Look beyond pretty packaging. Find the fine print and see if claims match up - if not, think again.
- Beware of jargon or information that only a scientist or trained expert could validate or understand
- If a claim feels to good to be true, it just might be
Get on Top of Greenwashing
The best way to sort the trickery from the truth is to pop on your detective hat. Keep curious, keep learning and keep holding business accountable. If you are not sure what a term means, ask, dig a little deeper, and ask again. (We've explained a few key sustainability terms here)
People Power
As consumers, we have the power to call out greenwashing for the misdirection it is. If we want more focus on sustainability, we must demand it. Climate Change is having an enormous impact on the world around us, so there is no better time than right now to insist on products, services and businesses that prioritise the planet - for real.
