I came across an article talking about companies “greenwashing” their products to appear more sustainable and environmentally friendly than they really are. Green products are the rage of the 21st century and marketers are capitalizing on the demand for products that are deemed environmentally conscious.
Dasani bottled water is a classic example of a “greenwashed” product. Even though the bottle has been made from organic materials that can be broken down easier than their traditional plastic this product is far from green. The sustainable way to drink water is to use a reusable water bottle filled with tap water, however, when consumers see the words “green”, “environmentally friendly” and “sustainable” plastered all over products they do not take the time to think about whether or not these words carry any validity.
As consumers, we need to be able to differentiate between whose products are actually sustainable and whose are just trying to use this issue of environmental sustainability to purely turn a profit. By supporting truly green initiatives we as consumers will be able to weed out those falsely posing their products and help sustain those who are making a difference.
Here is a video describing how Dasani’s Plant Bottle is using greenwashing to market itself.