Weekly Blog Postings # 3 Greenwashing

History of Greenwashing




During the contemporary environmental movement of the mid 60’s companies started to use environmental images ads on their products in order to promote them. In these images were normally eco-friendly. This initial wave of this greenwashing was labeled as ecopornography. This was the time of the anti nuclear movement. People were not happy about the nuclear testing so the nuclear power division ran a few ads that stated "everywhere, extolling the anti-polluting virtues of atomic power" as "'reliable, low-cost...neat, clean, safe.'" Other companies used these types of greenwashing in order to promote their products. As time went on companies and people became smarter and more aware of greenwashing.

In the early 90’s, a poll was done that showed that 77% of customers are affected and buy things due to a corporation's environmental reputation. Another poll done showed that 84% of people considered corporate environmental crimes more serious than insider trading or price fixing. Because of these polls companies tried to go as green as they could go. One fourth of new products made were labeled as recyclable, "biodegradable" "ozone friendly" or "compostable”.

Throughout the next few years some of the world's greatest polluters spent millions on making their products seem more “green”. A few of the companies started to put animal friendly images on their packaging, some started to use wording like “environment safe” and “good for the air” and others statements that were earth friendly.

While all of this was going on in the US, Europe was dealing with greenwashing itself. A Swiss chemical corporation was trying to restore its image after the 1986 Basel spill. They ran advertisements which made them look like they were environmental friendly by using a forest, a tranquil pond, and a clean looking river. A corporation in Great Britain, which happened to be considered one of world's largest producers of the ozone, advertised its use "a new generation of ozone friendly fluorocarbons" to cover up its real use of air pollution.

Third world country companies also were starting to use greenwashing. Countries like India, Malaysia, Argentina and Brazil were using greenwashing as ways to get customers to feel safer for using their products.

Even though it seemed like the world was being brained washed and fooled by companies and their greenwashing, people started finding ways to detect through the greenwashing ads. They came up with things to look for when researching a product. They also found ways to tell the average consumer about greenwashing and how to not to be fooled by it.



How do you feel about greenwashing being around since the 60’s? What are your feelings on greenwashing being all over the world? Are you surprised that even third world countries are using it? Why or why not?