The Green Scam Many Consumers are Falling For

Green is the new black, or at least a label many consumers gravitate towards. While most consumers are generally aware of a looming environmental disaster, and feel they are doing their part by buying products labelled green.

What few people realize is that the majority of products labelled green, should in reality be labelled “greenwashing”, a term that suggests an illegitimate claim about the environmental impact of a product. In other words, manufacturers and businesses are really taking advantage of the new trend, or marketing-scheme to sell their product to the unsuspecting buyer.

Half the time, products are being labelled green because they don’t contain a specified chemical. Chances are, they never did in the first lace, and after taking note of other chemicals contained in that product, one would realize that the product just simply isn’t green.

Due to few regulations, nearly anything can be labelled as green or eco-friendly, and the result could be dangerous.

It takes an observant consumer to decipher the truth.

When it comes to health, beauty and even cleaning products, if you wouldn’t eat it, you shouldn’t use it.

In comparison, products that may be 50% plant based, but if the other half includes harsh chemicals, it just isn’t green.

Likewise, a true green product is made close to home, which means little shipping or transportation and locally sourced contents.

Another key to look for is how the product is packaged. Excessive plastic, printing or packaging contradicts the seemingly green product, having more of an impact on the environment than the product inside may.

Consider every aspect of the products production. Find out or ask if it requires things like fossil fuels or even water in it’s production and how much.

Pay attention to every ingredient or component and decipher it’s environmental impact.

All in all, know exactly what you are buying, before making a purchase and don’t get sucked into greenwashing.