greenwashing everyday products
food & packaging
The food industry is one of the largest users of “greenwashing” to market their products. A recent 2021 report showed how powerful an influence the use of “greenwashing” buzzwords can be in a consumers choice of food products. “Sustainability” is the winner in this category with nearly 32% of shoppers reporting that this term influenced their purchasing decision.
Plastics
Manufacturers are very conscious of the public’s growing hesitance to plastics and have taken steps to incredibly increase sales by using vague and unverifiable jargon. Consumers should also be skeptical of even the biggest brand names that have begun using terms such as “ocean bound” and “contains a certain percentage of “marine or beach plastic”.
household products
If you are interested in helping the environment, check the ingredients before you buy. Something as innocent as a fragrance contains possible carcinogens that can enter sewers and waterways, potentially causing dangerous pollution.
Also, certain parts of a product’s formula, such as fragrance can be classified as a “trade secret” and in many cases contain dozens of chemicals exempt from scrutiny. A landmark study released by the Breast Cancer Prevention Partners nonprofit found fragrances present in personal care and cleaning products often contained toxic substances, linked to serious health issues.
