Greenwashing: What It Is & How to Avoid It

by · November 11, 2020

What is Greenwashing?

Some companies falsely claim that their products are clean, non-toxic, eco-friendly, and natural. But upon further investigation, many products actually contain harmful ingredients or aren’t as “clean” as the label would have you believe. This is known as “greenwashing.”

There are loose and minimal regulations around the use of the word “natural” so there really are no consequences for these companies intentionally misleading consumers. It’s up to you to be educated and make wise choices. 

What to Look For

When trying to determine if products are greenwashed, it’s important to know the language that is typically shown on the labels of greenwashed labels. And just because a label showcases one “good” quality, that doesn’t make the rest of the ingredients clean. For example, a “plant-based” cleaner can still have toxic ingredients in it.

These are some commonly used words that may appear on greenwashed product labels:

  • Botanical
  • Chemical-free
  • Dermatologist recommended
  • Earth-friendly
  • Extracts
  • Gentle
  • Green
  • Herbal
  • Mineral
  • Natural
  • Naturally essenced or fragranced
  • Oil-free
  • Organic
  • Paraben-free
  • Plant-based
  • Plant-derived
  • Pure
  • Raw
  • Sensitive
  • Sulfate-free
Natural cleaning products

How to Avoid Greenwashing

To avoid being victim to greenwashing, become familiar with the words that are typically used with greenwashing. Always look at the full ingredient list on the back of the product. If you aren’t sure if the product is safe, search the ingredients you aren’t sure of to make an educated choice. 

You can also search for products on EWG or in the ThinkDirty app.  

EWG (Environmental Working Group) is a great resource for anyone looking to live a healthier lifestyle. If you are unsure about how safe a product is, you can search it on their website. If it’s in their database, it will show up with information about the ingredients and will also have a score so you can know where it falls on the “clean” spectrum. 

You can also view their EWG verified products and find out where you can get them. When you see EWG VERIFIED™ on a product, you can be sure it’s free from EWG’s chemicals of concern and that it meets their strictest standards for health.

Additionally, The ThinkDirty app allows you to scan a product’s barcode and receive information about the product and its ingredients as well as other cleaner product options. 

Another way to avoid greenwashing is to shop small businesses. Small businesses have more to lose when it comes to misleading marketing so the odds of greenwashing are smaller. They have a reputation to upkeep. It’s also great to support small businesses in general so it’s a win-win.

Don’t allow yourself to fall victim to greenwashing. Always, always, always read the ingredients list and make educated choices.

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