Do the words Brainwashing and Greenwashing sound familiar to you? What's more, do you think they have anything in common? Get ready, as we'll explain to you what they mean, how they relate to one another, and how several companies misuse them, as part of their scam marketing campaigns. In other words, how businesses deceive us all, increasing their profits, while neglecting the serious consequences of their wrongdoing on our environment.
HOW DID THE WORD GREENWASHING ORIGINATE?
First, you should know that languages are communication systems, which continuously evolve as a reflection of a given society. One could say that a language is to some degree a pragmatic form of communication. Indeed, based on our communication needs, we create new words (neologisms), disregarding the ones that we no longer use (archaisms).
Nowadays, many experts who refer to Greenwashing as "the new Brainwashing". Needless to say, Greenwashing arising from the union of the words green and washing, take as an example the hitherto (better known and predecessor) Brainwashing, meaning persuasive propaganda or salesmanship.The recent inclusion of Greenwashing in our lexicon, takes this concept of persuasion to a more dangerous conclusion as the consequence of the commercialisation of global warming, despite the increasing threat to existence.
It is of course now common knowledge that we must promote sustainable development goals (SDG). Fortunately, this awareness is becoming a growing trend, to which Bullfeet is contributing through ethical and responsible practices. Our vegan shoes are entirely planet friendly, as both the materials and production processes are 100% vegan and sustainable such as our vegan shoes.
WHAT EXACTLY IS GREENWASHING?
Greenwashing is a marketing strategy employed by a number of companies to make consumers believe that their products are created according to sustainable policies and corporate social responsibility. Yet, the truth is that reality in most cases is far from removed from the "green" virtues extolled in advertising campaigns. Read on to find out how to spot products and businesses employing Greenwashing as a standard practice. Pay close attention!
EXAMPLES OF GREENWASHING
Although you may well wish to see a few names, the list is endless, and it's far from our philosophy as a brand to discredit other corporations. On the contrary, our aim is rather simple: to help you identify those brands that fail in their efforts to reduce Co2 emissions and the resulting damage to the ecosystem. This way, the more you learn, the more you'll be able to spot them by yourself. You might be in for lots of unexpected surprises...
Take a look at the following video:
EFFECTS OF GREENWASHING
Dishonest advertising denies ethical, conscious consumers the right to buy products which are sustainably made and sourced, causing them to unwittingly contribute to the problem of climate change. For more information, please see our blog: "There is No Planet B".
Some truly sustainable brands, afraid of seeming deceptive, choose to remain anonymous, giving rise to the phenomenon of "Greenblushing". At Bullfeet, contrary to what many promise, WE ARE TRULY SUSTAINABLE which is something we are very proud of. Thanks to all our customers who have trusted us from the begining we can continue creating our sustainable sneakers and handbags. Our products are made using recycled materials such as plastic bottles from the ocean, recycled clothing destined to end up in landfills (among others), true to our philosophy of zero stock, zero waste.
HOW TO AVOID GREENWASHING
As a first step, you should read all about the brand itself; from its origins, to its core values, targets, manufacturing processes, to it's use and provenance of materials. If for instance, they have an online site, the newsletters and blogs of a particular brand can shed a lot of light on these areas.
On the other hand, taking a few minutes to look at comparisons and customer's feedback, prior to purchasing your products, is really worthwhile. None of us really want to be contributing to the worsening of our planet, as a result of brands misleading us by "Greenwashing".
Watch out!
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- Green marketing: Beware of green packaging, this colour is often associated with nature. As such, this is a tactic widely used for profit-making purposes.
- Words such as: sustainable, ecological, vegan, green or natural are not always a synonym of sustainability.
- Watch out for product composition: Read labels carefully to get information of each ingredient and/or composition, plus their sources of origin.
Few are the brands that, like Bullfeet, can proudly boast of being 100% sustainable and free of animal abuse.
Sadly in light of the afore-mentioned greenwashing practices and negligence of many brands, there is a lot of consumer scepticism. This is not surprising... However, with your commitment and everyone's awareness, we'll soon be able to turn our backs on Greenwashing.
Whether you're thinking of setting up your own sustainable brand or you already have one, we advise you to be honest with your advertising campaigns. Avoid half-truths. Your image can be seriously damaged, if not in the short term, but in the long term there can be serious consecuences for you and the planet!
Alternatively, if you are a consumer looking to learn more about sustainability because you're concerned about the future of the Earth, take a look at our blog "What is Upcycling?".
Feel free to contact us anytime as we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
In short, responsible consumption is something that benefits us all equally.
Ready to join the cause?
