Greenwashing: Breaking the “Green” Facade

I have to admit, hesitantly, that I am a sucker for good packaging; give me a set of vivid jewel tones and a hip, graphic design and I’m all on-board. This, of course, is problem-causing in more ways than one: first of all, I’ve ended up with a lot of terrible smelling, ineffective shampoos lingering around my shower. But more importantly, it has called to my attention a modern-day business tactic called Greenwashing. In an increasingly environmentally-conscious era, many companies have begun to market their products as “Green”, “Organic”, and… best of all… “Natural”. But the skeptical consumer knows that many of these claims are, in fact, unsubstantiated, and mislead the average buyer into believing that they are superior to the other products on the shelf. Aside from mis-labeling their products, Greenwashers also make sure that their packaging is particularly earthy, attractive and might lead one to believe that the product inside is planet-friendly and carcinogen-free. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Many drug-store regulars have long been touting an earth and body friendly image that does not accurately represent the range of chemicals and non-natural ingredients their products contain. Beyond beauty products, the most frequently greenwashed items include house cleaning products, fabrics for clothing and linens, and paper goods. Thankfully, there are a wide variety of legitimately Green products to replace the greenwashers, and there are a few primary ways you can steer clear of these dangerous chems; avoiding greenwashed product does take just a pinch of research and attention, but it’s certainly not impossible to treat your body well with truly Green, natural products. My favorite technique is a simple read-through of the ingredients list– pick up a bottle and take a moment to check out the labeling. Can you pronounce any of the chemicals? Does ANYTHING even look remotely Green? If so, keep some of the following tips in consideration and combat Greenwashing with ease: Familiarize yourself with the common ingredients, aside from the more widely-known toxins like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Parabens, to become a true eco-whiz and spot the bad guys before they make their way onto your skin. In life, and in beauty, simplicity is often the best route. By just heightening your awareness about the harmful, and beneficial, ingredients out there, you’ll be able to go with your instinct and easily discern with eco-X-ray vision which products are truly good on the inside. There are also a few seals companies are allowed to use that will help you find truly Eco-Friendly, healthy items. Certifications provided by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) on bio-degradable plastics will let you know that they are legitimately Green products. And, if a plastic is labeled as being compliant with American Society for Testing and Materials standards D6400 and D6868, it is likewise a truly eco-friendly material and will biodegrade safely. Green Cleaners should carry an EcoLogo and/or Green Seal certification, which will tell you that the product has been third-party tested and is safe according to international standards for eco-responsible items. The trick here is to judge your own eco-ethics: some commercial cleaners are accepted as Green Seal-approved, meaning the specific products they have created to fit eco-standards are certifiably earth-friendly. However, if you do not want to support large companies that are otherwise irresponsible and may also produce non eco-friendly lines of product, steer clear of these purchases and head for totally conscious companies. Beauty and Health products can carry the Organic logo to prove that they contain organic materials, but beware, as some will contain only one or two Organic ingredients, and can still certify for the seal. Check through the ingredients list to verify that the product, as a whole, is eco-friendly! And, before you even get to the store to make your purchase, you can use tools on the internet like Cosmetics Database to find out the potential health risks of your current, and prospective, products. As for me, I’ll be clearing my bathroom of all those eye-catching, toy-like bottles and jars, and opting for the equally aesthetically pleasing packaging of pure and natural products that are as nice on the inside as they are outside. Three cheers for a healthy beauty that radiates from within!