The Eco Experiment

Newsletter by The Eco Loop

Hey Reader,

Our last newsletter examined how to identify greenwashing, particularly within the fashion industry.

Last week, I came across a very insightful resource on ethical advertising.

Today, I will share the knowledge I gained from the course resource and provide some simple questions to ask before making any purchases so you can support brands genuinely working to reduce their environmental impact.

Reader First, let's address,

What is Greenwashing?

Greenwashing is when companies mislead consumers by making their products appear more environmentally friendly than they actually are. This deceptive practice has become increasingly common as consumer demand for eco-friendly products grows.

Unfortunately, greenwashing is rampant in today's marketplace. A study commissioned by the European Union found that 53% of green claims on products make vague, misleading, or unfounded statements.

Even worse, 40% have no supporting evidence whatsoever!

Why greenwashing is so widespread in today’s marketplace

Companies know you care about the environment. Many rush to appear “green” without making real changes.

Reason #1: Profit-driven marketing without substance
Green labels sell products. A common greenwashing tactic is “over-indexing” - spending more on marketing a green initiative than the initiative itself.
Reason #2: Lack of standardized definitions
No rules govern terms like “natural” or “eco-friendly.” This “vagueness” creates confusion and allows brands to make broad, poorly defined claims.
Reason #3: Focus on single attributes while ignoring overall impact
Many products highlight one green feature while hiding their larger environmental footprint. This “factual omission” creates a misleading impression.
Reason #4: Difficult to verify claims
Without transparent reporting or third-party certification, you can’t easily check if a company’s “green” claims are true or just “empty claims.”

Simple Questions to Ask Before You Buy

Look for What's Missing

1. Is the company only highlighting one small "green" feature while ignoring its overall environmental impact? [Core Business Omission]
Example: A fast fashion brand promoting a small "eco" collection while continuing mass production practices.

2. Do they claim to be "carbon neutral" or "net-zero" without explaining how they calculate this? [Selective Disclosure]
Example: Look for transparency in how they offset or reduce emissions. The classic example is that Airlines claim "carbon neutral" flights through offsets alone without reducing emissions!

3. Are they spending more money advertising their green initiatives than actually implementing them? [Over-Indexing]
Actions should speak louder than advertisements.

Spot the Misleading Language

4. Is the claim telling only part of the truth in a misleading way? [Paltering]
Example: "Made with recycled materials" might mean just 5% recycled content.

5. Are they using complicated jargon that makes it hard to understand what they're doing? [Jargon]
Environmental claims should be clear and straightforward.

6. Is the claim so vague (like "eco-friendly" or "natural") that it doesn't mean anything specific? [Vagueness]
Look for specific, measurable claims instead.

7. Are they using green colors, nature imagery, or eco-symbols to appear greener than they are? [Misleading Symbols]
Don't let packaging fool you - look beyond the leaves and earth tones. Always read the labels and understand which aspects of each product are eco-friendly.

8. Have they made big promises about sustainability that they haven't achieved? [Empty Claims]
Check if they have evidence to back up their claims.

Recognize False or Misleading Claims

9. Is their claim simply false or impossible to verify? [Lies]
Look for third-party certifications and transparent reporting.

10. Are they presenting something required by law as a special voluntary green initiative? [Irrelevancies]
Example: "Our products don't contain [chemical that's been banned for years]."

11. Is the company publicly supporting sustainability while also being associated with groups that block environmental progress? [Political Spin]
Check if their political affiliations match their stated values.

12. Have they lobbied against the very environmental policies they claim to support? [Political Spin]
Actions in the policy arena can reveal their true priorities.

These questions are simplified from the "Integrated Framework to Assess Greenwashing" developed by Nemes et al., 2022.

If you are a nerd like me and want to explore it, here is the link to the short, FREE course from the Institute for Advertising Ethics. :)

Remember...

No company is perfect (just like none of us are 100% sustainable!), but transparency and genuine effort matter. The key is to look beyond the marketing and ask these questions before making your purchasing decisions. If the company is taking genuine steps to improve its product and operations, it is worth supporting it!

Brands like Patagonia make environmental responsibility central to their business. They're honest about successes and struggles.

Ask these questions, and you'll spend wisely and support companies that share your values.

As you can see, education is crucial for evolving and discovering better solutions that make our lives convenient while also being harmonious with the environment. This leads me to this week's podcast episode! :)

The Eco Sheroes Podcast

Meet Krutika Shetti from Kareer Propel

Career expert Krutika Shetti reveals how environmental engineering, science, and sustainable business are becoming integral with all career paths.

Environmental considerations are becoming key to every field.

From psychometric testing to matching your personality with the perfect sustainable career, this interview unlocks all aspects to consider for job opportunities that most schools never mention.

Watch the full episode to learn how to identify which sustainability careers match your or your children's strengths and why these green jobs will dominate the future job market.

All her contact details are mentioned in the Episode Shownotes.

You can watch the episode on YouTube here.