10.31.07
“Greenwashing” why be concerned?
When discussing “Green” packaging and the “Green” movement as a whole, you have to be weary of companies that “Greenwash”. This is the rouge of presenting a product that does not actually meet the standards for which it is intended or businesses promoting themselves as “Green” when in actuality they are not.
Taken from Wikipedia:
Greenwash (a portmanteau of green and whitewash) is a term that is used to describe the actions of a company, government, or other organization which advertises positive environmental practices while acting in the opposite way. The term came into use in the early 1990s, most notably as the title of an article in the 1991 March/April issue of Mother Jones magazine.
The term is generally used when significantly more money or time has been spent advertising being green (that is, operating with consideration for the environment), rather than spending resources on environmentally sound practices. This is often portrayed by changing the name or label of a product, to give the feeling of nature, for example putting an image of a forest on a bottle of harmful chemicals. Environmentalists often use greenwashing to describe energy companies, which are traditionally the largest polluters. [1]
When dealing with packaging, it is most important to understand the application, the environment in which it will be used and the ultimate disposal method. Any one of these that are not considered will lead to the perception of “greenwashing” for the simple fact that you are not diligent enough to sell the customer the right product. Your knowledge and level of expertise will be questioned along with the obvious fact that you are not helping the environment as you are promoting through the sale. If all you want is the sale then you are “Greenwashing”.
