GridDuck’s Ultimate Guide to Greenwashing: Where It Came From, What It Looks Like and How to Avoid It

GridDuck is exploring the issue of the moment and a serious concern to businesses like ours: Greenwashing. Read the full article for a full background of the topic, plus plenty of advice on how to avoid Greenwashing.

Greenwashing has been gradually infiltrating headlines in global news over the last few years. We have seen independent investigations, PR scandals and government crackdowns across a wide range of industries, from fashion to energy and manufacturing to food and drink. But what exactly does the term mean, and what qualifies as greenwashing? Why has this phrase become so important now, and perhaps most pressing of all: how can you spot greenwashing as a consumer, or avoid practicing it as a business? 

This article aims to answer all of these questions, providing a comprehensive definition of the term and drawing on some of the latest cases to help individuals and companies alike understand the extent of the problem. 

What Is Greenwashing, and Where Did It Come From? 

Before exploring the scale of this issue, we must first ask where it came from, and what types of behaviour actually qualify as greenwashing. 

Greenwashing was a term coined in reference to the phrase whitewashing, defined by the Oxford Dictionary as a “deliberate attempt to conceal unpleasant or incriminating facts about (someone or something).” This form of whitewashing, which pertains specifically to environmental activities, was first used by Jay Westerveld in a 1986 essay examining a “save the towel” movement in a Fiji resort. Westerveld commented that despite highly marketed efforts to reduce waste through reusable towels with the claim of “protecting the reefs and the island’s ecosystem on the note, the resort was in the middle of an expansion.”

More recently, Business News Daily defined greenwashing as “when a company or organization spends more time and money on marketing themselves as environmentally friendly than on minimizing their environmental impact.” This is subtly different from the vaguer Cambridge Dictionary which defines it as s “behaviour or activities that make people believe that a company is doing more to protect the environment than it really is.”

Greenwashing has long since been associated with advertising and other media’s emphasis upon individual (as opposed to corporate) responsibility for sustainability initiatives. This shift was initially observed in relation to a US ad called ‘The Keep America Beautiful’ campaign, which ran almost fifty years ago. In this advert, a native American man is seen rowing a boat whilst crying at the sight of litter and pollution across this scene. The irony was that Coca-Cola and the other corporations responsible for this campaign were actually responsible for fighting against bills to promote recycling standards. 

As writer Ally Head explains, the famous “Keep America Beautiful” tagline was significant in that it typifies how “many of the political, industry-wide systemic problems with climate change are often idealistically repackaged into personal problems that the public can ‘solve’ in their daily lives.” 

According to Ben Mead, managing Director of Hohenstein and founding member of OEKO-TEX (a sustainability regulator and moderator within the textile industry), this detail of the case is something of a greenwashing “hallmark.” He explains that the issue is heavily centred around “publicly claiming a commitment to the environment while quietly lobbying to avoid regulation.” 

Within the same article, Damian Soong, CEO and co-founder of B-Corp elaborates upon Mead’s definition, stating that the problems with greenwashing “go much deeper” than it’s implicit environmental damage. Soong expresses that “ultimately, it means consumer attention, support and cash gets diverted away from products and solutions with real credentials that make an impact on some of the worlds biggest issues.”

What Does Greenwashing Look Like? 

Whichever definition one adopts with regards to greenwashing, there are varied and growing cases to substantiate its status as an endemic problem. As Greenpeace writes in a recent campaign against the issue, “whether you are filling up at the pump, booking a flight or simply browsing supermarket shelves, you are being targeted by marketing campaigns trying to persuade you that everything is fine.” 
One of the earliest and most famous greenwashing cases was Chevron’s 1980’s campaign depicting “cuddly bears, sea turtles and butterflies, and showing [Chevron’s] work restoring marshes once used for oil exploration.” Despite these claims, the business was “violating the clean air act.”

One Country and Town House article explaining the history of greenwashing points out that this event demonstrates how “there’s always an element of truth to the claims, but…. Many of their deeds featured in advertising campaigns were mandated by law.” In other words, sustainability must be qualified by evaluating a business’s activities holistically; it’s about what you’re not doing, as much as what you are doing. Or in the case of Chevron, greenwashing is sometimes simply about taking credit for what you have to do.

More recently, cases have included easyJet’s controversial carbon offsetting claims. Despite marketing flights as ‘zero carbon’ and ‘carbon free’, a Greenpeace article points out that “Unearthed and the Guardian investigations… found no evidence that easyJet’s offsetting schemes used have produced enough carbon savings to back the claims up.”  

Other notable cases include that of the Drax wood pellet power plant in Selby, Yorkshire. The site was originally converted from a coal plant and was responsible for 11% of the UK’s renewable power in 2020, a statistic celebrated as part of it’s extensive marketing as a green operation. However, climate think-tank, Ember, calculate that the power station is now the UK's single largest source of carbon dioxide, due particularly to the carbon footprint of it’s imported wood pellets. Mary Booth, founder of the environmental organisation Partnership for Policy Integrity, articulates the nuance of such cases best, saying: "just because something is counted as zero because of an accounting convention does not mean it's carbon neutral". Emissions are involved in all stages of production and transportation, so it is important for consumers to question what exactly businesses include in their carbon footprint.

Finally, the fashion industry has also come under fire for a culture of greenwashing. In 2022, The Guardian writes that “fashion brands could face court action if they are found to have breached consumer protection law with spurious environmental claims”, an initiative led by the Competition and Markets Authority. The investigation found that a sobering “60% of claims by UK and European fashion companies, including ASOS, H&M and Zara, were unsubstantiated and misleading shoppers.” Despite returns policies and non-recyclable materials creating waste on a wider scale than ever before, fashion makes up yet another area in which we are being persuaded that “everything is fine.”

What Is the Solution, and What Can Consumers and Businesses Do to Avoid Greenwashing?

You may now be convinced of the scale and complexity of this problem, but what is the solution to Greenwashing? How can you avoid being misled as a consumer, and avoid legally and commercially damaging greenwashing criticism of your own business? 

On the largest scale, greenwashing is an issue which requires a legislative solution. Independent watchdogs and think tanks aside, companies need to know that they will face significant penalties for greenwashing. It simply follows that the clearer advertising standards are on this issue, the fewer instances of vastly misleading campaigns there will be.

One country exemplifying this tactic is China. As one Eco-Business article explains, “the Chinese way is top-down and it relies on administrative regulations, while in Europe there is supervision from independent groups, and the media often calls out companies’ greenwashing behaviours.” Despite the difficulties of enforcing this type of system, top-down regulation has led to “encouraging improvements to air quality in Beijing” with “strong incentives for governments to sustain the improvements, and public expectations that they do so indicating real progress.” 

Perhaps then, tighter regulations are indeed required for the necessary cultural shift away from greenwashing here in the UK. However, within a free or partially free market economy, the importance of consumer choices cannot be underestimated. 

With that in mind, here are some key signs of greenwashing you can look out for.

1) If It Seems Too Good to Be True, It Probably Is!

easyJet’s zero carbon flight policy is the perfect example of this. How likely is it that your budget flight is funding the frontier of sustainable, aerospace engineering? Quite unlikely! You may want to believe that your flight is zero or low carbon but check the smallprint where possible.

2) Think About the Present as Well as Long-Term Plans.

Businesses that are serious about cutting carbon will be doing what they can now, as well as employing a longer term strategy. Be wary of unrealistic 50-year targets, or lack of clarity on how exactly companies plan to meet them.

3) Watch Out for Buzz-Words

‘Eco-friendly’, ‘green’ and ‘sustainable’ have unfortunately become overused by marketers trying to appeal to our near ubiquitous environmental anxiety. But what do these words actually mean? If you are considering buying a product or service that describes itself using these words, try to investigate what exactly qualifies these claims. When it comes to greenwashing, vagueness is a prime giveaway.

4) Think About the Big Picture

As stated previously, a lot goes into any brand’s overall carbon footprint. Sourcing one item or running one operation sustainably does not equate to a sustainable brand if the unmentioned waste far outweighs these efforts. It’s important to be particularly sceptical of totalising claims such as ‘carbon zero’ and what may have been excluded from these calculations.

5) Carbon Offsetting Claims

Carbon offsetting has been described by Greenpeace as “the most popular and sophisticated form of greenwash around.” Whilst offsetting may be a positive effort to save carbon, many schemes have provided little evidence for their claims. It’s worth remembering that carbon emissions in the present are worth more than promises to repay them in the future. If you can, read into the details of an offsetting scheme supported by any ‘zero-carbon’ purchase you make. 

6) Overtly Green Branding

The fastest way to spot an all-style-and-no-substance approach to sustainability is visual branding based heavily upon sustainability symbols or the colour green. Whilst many truly environmentally conscious brands may indeed adopt elements of said branding, the more effort has gone into these marketing strategies, the more climate action the company should be able to support. If you see more green imagery than evidence, you are probably being greenwashed.

7) Brand Ownership

As 6) emphasized, a lot can be conveyed through branding. Unfortunately, this means that some companies can hide behind their brand image, most notably in cases of large corporations who have acquired smaller, independent businesses with a reputation for sustainability. Be wary of whose interests the company serves, and what other ventures they may have stakes in.

Greenwashing can also be an easy trap to fall into as a business. Even though you may have every intention of making your business as sustainable as possible, greater consumer demand for environmental action and tougher regulations on greenwashing make it essential to back up your claims. 

Greenwashing can also be an easy trap to fall into as a business. Even though you may have every intention of making your business as sustainable as possible, greater consumer demand for environmental action and tougher regulations on greenwashing make it essential to back up your claims.  

As a Business Owner, Steer Clear of Greenwashing By:

1) Being Specific

Replace vague claims of eco-friendliness with statistics, clear strategies and disclaimers. Rather than simply sharing your green goals, show how you intend to reach them. Being open with your clients about what ‘sustainable’ actually means to you is an excellent opportunity to celebrate your successes, as well as showing that you have conviction in your actions.

2) Being the Change

The truest sign of an environmentally conscious business is one which is willing to adopt better practices before they become industry-standard. You could even ask your customers what changes they would like to see from you. By showing that you are prepared to invest time and effort into lowering your business’s emissions in pioneering ways, consumers will recognise that you uphold your green values.

3) Doing Your Research

If working with external partners or consultants, ensure that you gain the evidence necessary to validate their claims. Be as sceptical as your potential critics, and evaluate different options before making decisions. The best way to know that you are doing all you can is to stay on top of advances in clean tech and your wider industry.

4) Taking Action You Believe in

Ultimately, the best way to avoid greenwashing is to take action in the ways you see most valuable. Whilst profitability must remain a key consideration, it’s a lot more rewarding to realise the changes that you are truly passionate about than those simply made to keep up appearances.

If you’d like to make your business more sustainable and would like to find out how GridDuck can help (without Greenwashing!), please arrange a 15 minute chat with Miles here.