Did I Fall for Greenwashing?

Learn How to Save the Planet AND Your Wallet

written by Anindita Rajesh | photographed by Chika Okoye| designed by Tamar Ponte

With the dangers of the current climate crisis becoming more apparent, the number of people who are taking steps to mitigate the issue is also rising. However, some companies trick consumers into believing they are making a difference by advertising their products as something they are not.

First things frst, what is greenwashing? Essentially, it is a form of marketing in which a corporation advertises themselves as being sustainable or environmentally friendly, when in reality they are doing nothing, or sometimes even harming the environment. Many times, a brand will do this in order to appeal to consumers they may be losing to more sustainable competitors.

There are numerous ways in which a company can greenwash their image. For example, changing packaging from bright colors to more neutral, earth tones can trick buyers’ minds into believing that the product is more ethical. Many times, companies also create campaigns to portray themselves as philanthropic, when in reality, the campaign may not even be real—it instead is just used as a marketing technique to persuade consumers (because who wouldn’t want to buy new jeans if they thought it was helping save the rainforest?). However, sometimes companies even go as far as tampering with their carbon emission records in order to make it seem as though they were socially responsible.

We’ve all probably fallen into the trap of greenwashing at least once in our lives. For many people, shopping sustainably (maybe for clothes) can get expensive very quickly, especially for a college student on a budget. So, when stores we usually shop at market themselves as “green” or release a line of sustainable clothing for a low price, it can be easy to be tricked into believing that we are actually doing something good.

So, how can we stop being tricked by companies? While it’s important to hold brands accountable, this can be hard coming from just a few people. That’s why it may be better to avoid these companies altogether and fnd other alternatives to shopping sustainably.

One way to fgure out which of your favorite stores are sustainable—or at least on the path to becoming more environmentally-friendly— is using a website called Good On You. This website, which can also be downloaded as an app, is a great resource for checking how ethical your favorite brands are, and it also provides some similar, yet preferable alternatives.

Other ways to become more sustainable include avoiding fast fashion. While it may be convenient to order a cheap going-out top off of Shein, the reason these types of stores produce clothing at such a minimal cost is because the clothing is often made with cheap materials. Cheaper materials include cheap dyes that can leach into water sources or pollute the air and soil. On top of that, they are often produced in developing countries, utilizing the labor of underpaid factory workers.

It can therefore be useful to get the most value out of your clothes by restyling them or buying longer-lasting basic pieces that can help make your closet a lot more sustainable. Another option may be to thrift clothes. Understandably, fully cutting out these types of brands can be expensive and unreasonable, but doing little things can save the planet and your wallet.