What are some greenwashing examples in your everyday life?
6 comments
You have to consider the purpose of greenwashing. It’s a campaign of misinformation so companies and politicians don’t have to change their behavior due to environmental concerns. The most pernicious campaigns are blame shifting.
The recycling symbol was invented by plastic manufacturers specifically because they were facing public criticism for producing plastic trash. Plastic is not recyclable in an economically viable way. Once China stopped accepting plastic”imports of garbage” there was no place that accepted it. Because it doesn’t actually work well enough to bother.
Glass is chemically recyclable. But the raw material is so cheap it’s not economical viable.
The carbon footprint was invented by fossil fuel companies to shift blame to the consumer. “That coal plant I operate is your fault because you use the power” neatly shits the blame away from people who build and operate coal plants (and resist efforts to de carbonize the grid)
The recycling symbol was invented by plastic manufacturers specifically because they were facing public criticism for producing plastic trash. Plastic is not recyclable in an economically viable way. Once China stopped accepting plastic”imports of garbage” there was no place that accepted it. Because it doesn’t actually work well enough to bother.
Glass is chemically recyclable. But the raw material is so cheap it’s not economical viable.
The carbon footprint was invented by fossil fuel companies to shift blame to the consumer. “That coal plant I operate is your fault because you use the power” neatly shits the blame away from people who build and operate coal plants (and resist efforts to de carbonize the grid)
> The carbon footprint was invented by fossil fuel companies to shift blame to the consumer.
I highly agree. I'm sick of hearing how this all is my fault, and my little, tiny change changes everything, whereas the companies do nothing.
Italian ENI funding everything to prove gas is green
Can you be more specific? Maybe some articles, detailed examples, screenshots, photos, etc.?
well, ENI is kind of a beast... many want even advice you to dig too much (yes)
Anyhow this specific issue is so evident (and embarrassing) that it got public (despite the huge amount of cash ENI spend in advertisement... there is even a specific talk about this historical huge amount in an US ambassador's cable in wiki-leak, of many years ago)
Here some examples (but just search for "eni greenwashing": my kagi search returns many even English good results):
* https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/polluting-education-enis...
* https://www.petersandpeters.com/case/eni-fine-in-connection-...
Then I just saw this one: https://illuminem.com/illuminemvoices/how-italian-newspapers... (did not read it, to be honest: I really get too mad)
Anyhow this specific issue is so evident (and embarrassing) that it got public (despite the huge amount of cash ENI spend in advertisement... there is even a specific talk about this historical huge amount in an US ambassador's cable in wiki-leak, of many years ago)
Here some examples (but just search for "eni greenwashing": my kagi search returns many even English good results):
* https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/polluting-education-enis...
* https://www.petersandpeters.com/case/eni-fine-in-connection-...
Then I just saw this one: https://illuminem.com/illuminemvoices/how-italian-newspapers... (did not read it, to be honest: I really get too mad)
Your links are really nuggets! Thanks for sharing them! Will dig deeper into them.
A few examples that stood out to me:
Online grocery stores that proudly email receipts instead of printing them—but force you to buy new plastic/paper bags with every delivery instead of offering reusable crates for regular customers.
"100% recycled plastic" bottles that conveniently don't mention plastic degrades with each recycling cycle and ends up in landfills after a few rounds anyway.
Budget airlines that ask passengers to dispose of trash to "help the environment"—while selling everything in single-use plastic and generating dozens of enormous garbage bags per flight. They've just outsourced the guilt.
Once you start seeing it, it's everywhere.
What greenwashing examples have you noticed? I'm collecting them to build a library in the post. Share yours—the more specific, the better. Bonus points for the subtle ones that most people miss.