Aug
28
Greenwashing: is a term used to describe the perception of consumers that they are being misled by a company regarding the environmental practices of the company or the environmental benefits of a product or service. The term Green sheen has similarly been used to describe organizations which attempt to appear that they are adopting practices beneficial to the environment (from Wikipedia.com).
With all of the hype over “Green” and a renewed interest in taking back our health, many companies are beginning to make some changes to their labels - including some very tricky wordage and “seals.” But, don’t be fooled - because not all products that claim to be organic or green are created equal - and some? They don’t even come close.
We know it’s confusing and we want to help. We’re going to decode some of the most often used GREENWASHING techniques and wording.
Natural. My husband, who I will admit was drug unwillingly (in the beginning) into this whole “Green and Better Living” thing will often come to me saying, “But, it says it’s ALL NATURAL! It MUST be okay!” Alright, well here’s the problem with that way of thinking: Although we are trying to get away from overly chemicaled-out products and processed foods without leaving convenience totally behind, we need to keep in mind that some things that occur naturally STILL aren’t things you want to put in or on your body. Take for example, poisonous mushrooms. According to my husband’s (sometimes faulty) logic we should just take a bite “because it’s NATURAL!” Another problem with the term “Natural” being used on products is that the term is not a regulated word, meaning anything can be *called* natural. Oh yes, one more thing. A product that contains some natural products does not make the entire product natural. If that were so, I could take your shampoo and add one drop of water and call it *Natural*. Not cool, right? (We didn’t think so.)
Made with Organic Ingredients. You might be tempted to believe that this product is A-OK. Resist that temptation, because this just means that it was made with some (or at least one) organic ingredient. What - do they want a cookie? It does NOT mean the whole thing - the product as a whole - is Organic. So, be sure to check the label to see what else lurks in the bottle.
Organic. There actually is a law for this one: A food company must have at least 70% organic ingredients to be able to use this phrase on the front of their product. But, what about the other 30%? Eh…well, that can still be CRAP. And, kind of like if you have some great organic blackberries…but then you add 3 lbs of sugar and processed white flour and a good Paula Dean dose (aka 5 fistfuls) of butter…you have cobbler. And it was 70% healthy…but the other 30% is what’s going to hurt you (as you try and walk it off of your thighs and butt). Now, regarding personal care products, there is no law just yet - so the 70/30 rule does NOT apply to personal care products. They can use the word “organic” as much as they please, despite their contents. So, just read the ingredients label. Just to make sure.
Certified Organic (paired with the USDA logo - or another countries’ logo). This term PLUS the logo (the logo must be present as well) means that from the field to the shelf, the ingredients used were raised and cultivated organically (no pesticides, no fertilizer). It means that when the product was mixed, it was not mixed in with synthetic chemicals and known parabens (unlike your favorite Herbal Essences shampoo and other products you most likely use). “Certified Organic” with the USDA logo is the easy way to find truly organic items, but I will tell you that some farmers don’t want to pay to jump through hoops to get that pretty logo - and yet, their products are as good as any. BUT, once again - you have to check the labels!! If you are just wanting to stick with fast non-label reading shopping though, buy only USDA Certified Organic.
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One Response to “Greenwashing 101 And How It Affects YOU”
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Hey there. Wow! Great post. You should really check out http://www.truly-organic.com.
All of Truly Organic’s clothes are 100% certified organic cotton and are only dyed with herbal and botanical dyes from pomegranates, onions and the like. Also, the processing they use is chemical-free.
Some of my favorite Truly tidbits
• Dye water is recycled and used to irrigate agriculture, while waste is used as compost;
• Using plant derivatives for dyes promotes agriculture and provides income to farming families; and
• Truly’s natural finishing process eliminates pollutant runoff caused by even traditional low-impact dyeing methods.
Check it out! It’s great stuff.