Greenwashing is when companies pretend to be environmentally friendly while still harming the planet. They do this using 7 sneaky tricks—let’s expose them!

1. The Hidden Trade-Off Trick
A company solves one environmental problem… but creates another.
Example: McDonald's switched to paper straws to cut plastic waste. Sounds good, right? But the paper straws weren’t recyclable, while the plastic ones were!

2. The No Proof Trick
A company makes bold environmental claims—but provides zero evidence.
Example: Some brands claim their products are made from "50% recycled materials"—but never show proof of where those materials come from.

3. The Vague Buzzword Trick
Words like "green," "sustainable," and "eco-friendly" sound impressive—but what do they actually mean?
Example: A clothing brand says it’s "sustainable" because it uses organic cotton. But if its factories pollute rivers and use unethical labor, can it still be called sustainable?

4. The Fake Label Trick
Some companies make up their own ‘eco-friendly’ certifications to look legit.
Example: A cleaning product with a logo that looks like an official certification but isn’t backed by any real organization.

Real certifications to trust:

Energy Star
Fair Trade
USDA Organic
Rainforest Alliance.

5. The Irrelevance Trick
When companies emphasize an environmental issue that doesn't actually matter.
Example: A bottle of water labeled "gluten-free." Water never had gluten to begin with, so the claim is irrelevant!

6. The Lesser of Two Evils Trick
Making a product seem "green" when the entire category is harmful.
Example: SUVs marketed as “fuel-efficient” or “eco-friendly” still rely on gasoline and produce high levels of CO2. No matter how much they improve mileage, they still contribute significantly to fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

7. The Fibbing Trick
A company straight-up lies about its environmental claims.
Example: When an oil company runs an ad campaign claiming, "We invest in clean energy for a greener future," while the majority of its budget still goes toward fossil fuel extraction.

These are the sneaky tricks companies use to make their products look green, even when they aren't!

Fun Fact:

The oil company Shell once ran an ad campaign claiming they were investing in ‘clean energy’—while spending 95% of their budget on fossil fuels!