Greenwashing is a marketing tactic used by corporations to advertise their products as eco-friendly when in reality they are nothing of the sort. This problem is only increasing as consumers look to buy more environmentally conscious products. It seems like companies are practicing this more and more because they know that if they call themselves “green,” it will boost sales. But there is a very real cost. 

When companies greenwash, they exacerbate an already catastrophic problem of global waste. The World Bank predicts that by 2050, global waste will increase by 70%. Plastic is at the root of the problem because it can contaminate soil and water and takes centuries to decompose.

Regulations in the U.S. and abroad are very lax when it comes to discouraging companies from greenwashing. But not all hope is lost. Recently, environmental groups took Dutch airline KLM to court over its misleading advertising campaign touting its sustainability initiatives. 

Consumer culture in the U.S. is extremely powerful, and when corporations take advantage of the public, it is important that there are consequences. What’s the point of having bodies like the Federal Trade Commission if not to enforce rules to protect the public?

Consumers also deserve better. The United Nations has issued damning reports about the state of global warming and climate change for years. It has listed measures that should be taken in order to offset some of the problems that we humans have created — not just for ourselves, but other species as well. It is wrong to defraud the people who genuinely want to do their part by buying green products. 

Instead of taking the lead on ensuring companies adhere to the rules, regulatory bodies like the FTC often bow to pressure from corporate behemoths that wield significant power. Consumers are forced to rely on resources like greenwash.com by the Changing Markets Foundation, which helps nongovernmental organizations with market-focused sustainability campaigns.

Its campaign takes you through egregious instances of greenwashing by some of the world’s biggest companies — Adidas, Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble are just a few examples. For example, even though Coca-Cola has often had very public recycling campaigns, it is still a huge source of plastic pollution and has consistently undermined deposit return systems, which have been the most effective method of recycling. 

This hypocrisy should not be allowed. 

The U.S. prides itself on being a global leader in a variety of sectors. We should take the initiative on this issue and become a leader in this fight, too. Even though marketing is an effective tool in business, it should be used ethically. 

Billionaire Kim Kardashian, arguably an incredible marketer, is also guilty of greenwashing. Her latest product is so blatantly unsustainable that consumers could plainly see through the campaign. 

Kardashian’s new skincare line, SKKN, claims it has sustainable packaging because you can buy refills for the product. The gag is the packaging is just a hard-plastic outer shell covering the actual product. This means the refills are functional on their own, and the packaging’s outer shell is literally a waste of plastic. 

Videos of the refill demonstration on the brand’s official social media accounts went viral, and some users on TikTok even offered their services to make Kardashian’s company actually green. And consumers seemed to notice the greenwashing this time around because at launch last month, the only products that sold out were refills. 

It’s apparent that some companies are genuinely concerned about mitigating their contributions to global warming and climate change, and those companies should be rewarded for their efforts. But what is really disheartening is when other brands attempt to take advantage of this push toward green by prioritizing profit, not people. 

Greenwashing is a serious problem that deserves to be talked about more. Companies need to be held accountable, and consumers should be treated with respect. 

Colin Crawford is a Medill freshman. He can be contacted at [email protected]. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.