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Greenwashing Revealed: A Major Threat to Sustainability?

Currently, the trend of sustainability  is increasingly being highlighted and applied by various parties — companies, organizations, governments, and consumers.

A report issued by McKinsey states that GenZ (1996-2010) chooses to consume ethically made goods—based on environmental safety and sustainability.

However, this trend also ends up making many companies abuse the essence of sustainability and do greenwashing. Not only is this practice harmful, but it also harms consumer trust.

Greenwashing: Definition and Origin

Greenwashing is a marketing effort or practice carried out by companies to encourage the concept of sustainability in their products without reducing the ecological impact of the manufacturing process.

Companies or businesses that do greenwashing tend to take advantage of changes in consumer behavior with environmentally friendly branding so as not to lose money.

The term “greenwashing” itself was first popularized by an environmental expert, Jay Westerveld, in 1986 when he criticized the “Save The Towel” movement.

Forms of Greenwashing

This practice can be done in various ways, but there are 4 ways that can be identified as greenwashing.

  1. Klaim Palsu

The release of the statement that the company claims its products are environmentally friendly without presenting clear evidence or action.

Usually, there is no clear process or documentation related to the manufacture of products that are claimed to be environmentally friendly.

  1. Unclear Labels

Often, we find products that use the labels “eco-friendly”, “natural”, “100% recyclable” but do not find a clear certification on the company’s website.

These labels are abused to keep consumers tempted to buy them with the lure of “helping to save the Earth”.

  1. Focus Shift

When we encounter companies that focus only on one small “green” aspect without paying attention to other negative impacts, this is what is referred to as a “shift in focus”.

  1. Uncredible Certificate

The use of logos or certifications that cannot be traced clearly to their authenticity, so that consumers feel deceived.

The Real Case of Greenwashing: Volkswagen

In addition to the four forms above, there are several other examples carried out by large companies to maintain the image of a “green company”.

Volkswagen once deceived the public with eco-friendly and low-emission marketing campaigns  .

They were caught cheating while conducting an emissions test by putting a “damaged” device so that the emission results could be lower.

In fact, their “eco-friendly” cars produce 40x more nitrogen oxides than the permissible limit.

You don’t have to worry about whether BIOPAC does greenwashing or not. Our products have bagged the “Compostable” certification  issued by Germany-based DIN CERTCO.

This certificate indicates that there are no adverse impacts that can harm the soil and the microbes in it if BIOPAC products are thrown into the soil.

BIOPAC is always committed to providing high-quality products that are minimal to pollutants and environmentally friendly.

Come on, always be critical of various products or companies that are labeled “eco-friendly” and make sure they are authentic!

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