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According to data by Statista in 2021, globally, about 44 percent of consumers said they were more likely to buy from a brand with some connection to environmentally-friendliness. With the growing amount of young people in the consumer market, companies are bound to take advantage of their commitment to sustainability.
What is Greenwashing?
Greenwashing is the advertising practice that falsely promotes a company or product as being environmentally friendly in order to capitalize on the mindfulness and thoughtfulness of consumers to make a higher profit. This practice causes unnecessary burden on consumers and undeserved profits for the perpetrating organization. You may see these practices in your day to day life. For example, hotels often have signs reading something along the lines of "reuse your towel, save the environment". While initially seeming like a thoughtful addition by the hotel in helping the environment, the effect of this action is negligible, and the real purpose behind it is instead is the myopic pursuit of money instead of the desire to be "eco-friendly".
Negative Impacts on the Climate Movement
Although many climate deniers may cite this practice as proof of climate change being a hoax, there is substantial scientific evidence in support of climate change that we can assume greenwashing to be extraneous from the actual climate change movement. Regardless, greenwashing gives people false perceptions of the climate movement and enough so that progress is slowed or undone entirely. In helping remove greenwashing and the unwanted environmental myths it carries with it, environmental action can progress more efficiently, with less hindrances.
Learn about the UN's response to greenwashing here and some recent examples here
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