Greenwashing is when companies mislead the public into believing they are doing more to protect the environment. In reality, the company only uses this as a marketing tool. This is an extremely deceptive tactic that companies use in order to trick their customers into buying more products. If a customer thinks it is better for the environment, then they are encouraged to buy more or continue regular purchases. 

 Some tactics companies use include several approaches. Some companies will claim to reduce their pollution with no real plan in sight to do such things. Other companies will be vague with the materials they use to make their products. Companies will also list products as being “eco-friendly”; this term has no specific definition and can be taken the wrong way. Lastly, some companies will only focus on a single environmental problem and ignore any other important aspects that exist. 

However, hope isn’t lost. There are some things that you can do in order to help decrease this problem. For example, learning more about greenwashing and the tactics that are most commonly used can help you become an informed consumer.  Researching a company to see if their practices are eco-friendly is a simple task. For example, a company connected to any of the UN’s climate change safety initiatives would be a positive indication. Furthermore, consider a product’s lifecycle by looking at the materials to see if it is disposable or not. Through these methods, you can discover a company’s transparency or accountability.  

With all these in mind, people can raise their concerns of greenwashing and make it more known to the public. If companies are actually seen for the tactics they are using, and less people consume, they will be forced to change to remain relevant in the current market. Consumers have more power than they realize.