Greenwashing
A CLEAN WASH?
Its very name sounds like something Dr. Seuss would write about. In actuality, it refers to companies using false advertising to get our attention, especially in the ‘natural, healthy and safe’ space.
By definition, greenwashing means: “Disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public image” (Oxford Languages). Wikipedia defines it as “Greenwashing, also called ‘green sheen’, is a form of marketing spin in which green PR and green marketing are deceptively used to persuade the public that an organization’s products, aims and policies are environmentally friendly.” Many labels, as well, fit under this category – Eco-friendly, natural, non-toxic, superfood, healthy, no harmful chemicals, to name a few.
Labels are largely unregulated, and companies have extensive discretion as to what to include and not include on them. Organic, as well as non-GMO, can fall under greenwashing. A consumer can be lured into making a purchase based on something being touted as “organic” or “natural”, but not necessarily the safest or healthiest product option. Who has not walked down the aisle of a grocery store to see bottles with botanicals on them, drawing our attention to its seemingly all-natural ingredients? Clever marketing design leads the consumer to believe that all the ingredients are safe, natural and even plant based.
But “greenwashing” can go beyond the ingredients themselves. If a company uses actual safe ingredients but the packaging contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), then it is greenwashing. Another example includes a company that touts its recyclable packaging, but the ingredients used in its products are questionable, or could even be considered toxic or unsafe to humans. In recent years, BeautyCounter, a leader in safe clean cosmetics, decided to trace its mica sourcing and discovered the mica mines they were sourcing from were not a safe environment for the laborers who worked them. Child labor, forced labor, wage theft, and more were found to be a regular occurrence (Beautycounter Next-Level Transparency: Responsible Sourcing).
When I began the journey to better health, which included using less-toxic ingredients, I found that I fell victim to greenwashing more often than not. At the time I did not know there was such a thing; however, I was noticing the quality of the products themselves. With skincare and makeup, products were not living up to their claims. Makeup was melting off my face. Skin irritations became a regular occurrence. I was spending more and more on products trying to find ones that were effective, and safe at the same time. Rather daunting – and expensive.
The FDA regulates many industries and has standards and laws in place to protect the consumer. The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act (SB 657) “declared the intent of the State of California to ensure that large retailers and manufacturers provide consumers with information regarding their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their supply chains, educate consumers on how to purchase goods produced by companies that responsibly manage their supply chains, and, thereby, improve the lives of victims of slavery and human trafficking.”
Another is the Federal 1938 Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act. It established quality standards for foods, drugs, medical devices and cosmetics manufactured and sold in the US. This 80-year old regulation and its amendments is attempting to keep pace with rapidly growing industries and technologies. Since 1938, the industries governed by this act have grown exponentially. Scientific and toxicology knowledge has also grown significantly so that what was once commonly used in products has now been linked to “harmful health outcomes” according to Lindsay Dahl, an activist since 2004 in environmental health, working with advocacy campaigns in Minnesota to ban BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups, starting a company Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families – the nation’s largest company working to remove toxic chemicals from consumer products, as well as now working with the fastest growing beauty company in the safe clean beauty industry. Dahl also notes that under this act, cosmetic companies are largely self-regulating, meaning it is up to the companies themselves to determine if ingredients used in their products are safe.
Even the term “organic” is not regulated in the personal care industry. As Dahl points out, “Since organic foods are healthier, many people have assumed that organic makeup is also healthier, but due to lack of regulation that’s not always the case.”
Given this information, what are we as consumers to do? When we see the pretty packaging and the eye-catching labels, how do we know if it is greenwashing or if it is truthful and transparent marketing? There are a few ways to spot greenwashing.
Excessive packaging is a good place to start. Have you bought something, only to have to unwrap layers of plastic just to get your product? Opting for less packaging, and less or non-plastic, even cardboard, can reduce waste, and keep the packaging out of our overflowing landfills. Although your concern may be more about what is inside the packaging, irresponsible packaging many times reflects the corporation’s attitude towards other areas of product development, testing, and sourcing.
Another helpful tool is to watch, or should I say smell, what is in the product. Is fragrance included in the product? Cosmetic Fragrance and Flavor Ingredient Right to Know Act of 2019 (SB 574) went into effect January 1, 2021 and it requires “a manufacturer of a cosmetic product sold in the State (of California) to disclose to the Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control a list of each fragrance ingredient that is included on a designated list, as defined, and a list of each fragrance allergen that is present in the cosmetic product in specified concentrations” (California Legislative Information leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Up to this point, fragrance has been considered a trade secret. The initiators behind this act found fragrance can contain many harmful ingredients and dozens, even hundreds of chemicals. Any strong-smelling plastic, including vinyl plastic, should be avoided if possible as well, as these have been shown to have potential health threats to humans as well as animals.
Use resources such as third-party Environmental Working Group (EWG). This group rates products on its health and safety, and you as a consumer can make a more informed decision on which products are best for you and your family. Personally, I use this tool when searching out a new product and I look for what ingredients are listed, what the ingredients do in a product, its concentration and then its rating by EWG. My goal is to purchase products with a rating 3 or less. And, I also weigh what the product is needed and used for – in my home and on our bodies. It is a very individual decision, but being informed is first step in clean living.
Vetting companies is time-consuming, but can be a valuable option to look for sourcing, company policies, ingredients, claims and labeling. Not every company has a lurid past, nor are many companies trying to hide something, but as you do the research, you will begin to find companies that you trust, have good safe clean products, and are effective for your needs. Being wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16 KJV), is a role we as women and mothers take very seriously. When it comes to the health and well-being of ourselves and our families, we can successfully be sharp consumers.
In conclusion, rather than being hood-winked by the bottle with a green botanical leaf and the words “all natural”, we can carefully look beyond the packaging that sits so beautifully on the shelf. We can choose wisely between labels that say organic, natural, and clean. Products we enjoy, are effective, and do not harm our health or the environment can be a regular part of our lives. We can know that greenwashing is out there, but it does not have to be, to quote Dr. Seuss, a “Vug under the rug.”
