The six sins of greenwashing

Marian Scott, The Gazette

Published: Friday, February 15

There are six sins of greenwashing, and researchers didn't have to look hard to find them in a test of 1,018 products last spring.

Only one item - a roll of paper towel by a Quebec company, Cascades - was able to back up its environmental claims. 

TerraChoice Environmental Marketing visited six big-box stores in the U.S. to assess 1,753 claims trumpeted by a variety of items, including laundry detergent, shampoo, office paper, tissues, computers, printers and televisions.

What did the Cascades paper towel do that no other product did? It provided information on the label to support its claims of being recycled and chlorine-free. The company website supplied additional information on what makes its products green. Independent certification included the EcoLogo, which certifies more than 7,000 eco-friendly products, and the Forest Stewardship Council (fsccanada.org), which certifies forest-friendly wood and paper products.

TerraChoice plans to do another survey this year to see if any products have changed.

Here are  the six sins of greenwashing:

1. Sin of the hidden trade-off: Citing a single attribute or narrow set of attributes as proof of "greenness" while ignoring other important environmental impacts. Examples: A bathroom cleaner that claims to be chlorine-free but contains other toxic ingredients. Home insulation that boasts it reduces energy use but fails to mention its lack of recycled content or manufacturing impacts such as air emissions or water pollution. Fifty-seven per cent of claims made by products tested by TerraChoice committed this sin.

2. Sin of no proof: An environmental claim that is not substantiated by supporting information (on the package or company website) or reliable third-party certification. Examples: Facial tissue that claims to contain post-consumer recycled content but provides no proof. Such claims should be independently certified and the manufacturer should provide supporting information, such as where raw materials for the product were obtained. Lights that claim to be energy-efficient but provide no evidence or certification. Twenty-six per cent of claims committed this sin.

3. Sin of vagueness: Claims that are so poorly defined or broad that consumers are likely to misunderstand them. Examples: "Chemical-free." Nothing is free of chemicals. Water is a chemical. All plants, animals, and humans are made of chemicals as are all man-made products. "Non-toxic." Everything is toxic in sufficient dosage. Water, oxygen and salt are all potentially hazardous. "All Natural." Many poisons, including arsenic, uranium, mercury, and formaldehyde are all- natural. "Green," "Environmentally friendly," and "Eco-conscious" are utterly meaningless without elaboration. Some product examples from the research: Garden insecticides promoted as "chemical-free". "Natural" hair mousse. Eleven per cent of claims committed this sin.

4. Sin of irrelevance: An environmental claim that could be truthful but is unimportant, irrelevant and therefore distracts the consumer from finding a greener option. The most frequent example of an irrelevant claim refers to chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) - chemicals that contribute to ozone depletion. Since CFCs have been legally banned for almost 30 years, all manufactured products are now "CFC-free." Nevertheless, many products present this claim on their labels as if it were a unique environmental advantage. Examples: "CFC-free" insecticides, lubricants, oven cleaners, shaving gels, window cleaners and disinfectants. Four per cent of claims committed this sin.

5. Sin of the lesser of two evils: "Green" claims that could be true within the product category but that risk distracting the consumer from the over-all environmental impacts of the category of products.  Examples:
Organic cigarettes. Even cigarettes made from all-natural tobacco can kill you. "Green" insecticides and herbicides. These might be less dangerous than other pest- and lawn-control products, but they are still environmentally harmful. About one per cent of environmental claims committed this sin.

6. Sin of fibbing: Environmental claims that are outright false. Examples: Shampoo that claims to be "certified organic" but is not. A caulking product that claims to be Energy Star certified, but is not. A dishwasher detergent that purports to be packaged in "100% recycled paper" but comes in a plastic container. Ten products (less than one per cent of environmental claims) committed this sin.

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How to avoid the traps

How do you shop sustainably without falling prey to greenwashing? Follow these tips:

Read ingredients: By law, most non-food products are not required to list ingredients unless they contain  corrosive, flammable or poisonous substances. But without an ingredients panel, it's impossible to gauge whether a product is as green as it claims. Avoid products that do not list ingredients on the package.

Look for independent certification: A lot of products carry seals that look eco-friendly. But take a closer look. Is that a company logo or genuine third-party certification? Many retailers, including Home Depot and  Loblaw, have  lines of products with eco-friendly logos. But house-brand environmental logos are no guarantee those products meet independent criteria for sustainability. Claims should be backed by third-party certification like Environment Canada's EcoLogo seal, with three entwined doves that form a maple leaf. The Forest Stewardship Council certifies paper and wood products made from sustainably harvested forest. Canada's Energy Star program certifies energy-saving appliances.

Reduce, reuse: There's no question recycled paper towel is preferable to a product made from virgin fibre. But it's even greener to use a rag for most household chores. "Maybe (recycled paper towels) are more green than another option but they aren't actually environmentally friendly," says Madeleine Bird, an environmental health consultant. Recycling should take a back seat to reducing and reusing.

Simplify: Disposable wipes that dissolve kitchen grease are certainly handy, and foaming spray that wipes away soap scum in the shower works like magic. But having a dozen specialized cleaning products under your kitchen sink adds to your environmental footprint. Disposable wipes create waste and every container you discard - even in the recycling bin - adds to the Earth's burden. Good old baking soda,  vinegar and vegetable-based soaps can accomplish a multitude of tasks. "Vinegar is more environmentally friendly because it's multi-use," says Bird, who mixes her own environmentally friendly cleaning products. "I think it's a better thing to buy than glass and window cleaner."

Think outside the box: A green label doesn't necessarily mean a product is environmentally preferable, and the absence of a green label doesn't necessarily mean it's not. For instance, time-tested products like vinegar and baking soda are usually not marketed as green products, even though they are.

- Marian Scott

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2008

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