Some companies take advantage of popular green movements by making misleading and false claims about their products and services. They consistently assure customers that they are adopting personally and environmentally safe practices. They consistently make claims about having an organic and environmentally clean procedure, which is probably not true in reality. There are a number of ways companies can make false claims, among them is by putting misleading labels that mention various green-related labels. Often this is simply an attempt to divert our attention away of unhealthy and “dirty” components inside their products. As an example, many companies add labels with images of green leaves and energy efficient claims, without informing us that the product contains some hazardous materials.
As an example, companies could hide the fact that they add a couple of carcinogenic components in their bleach products. As an example, some household products may contain kathon, which could cause irritation on our skin, as well as damaging our eyes. This chemical could also cause prolonged adverse effects in local aquatic environments. Before we purchase a “green” product, we need to make sure that the company has a proof or certification that their claims are true. We shouldn’t believe claims that are poorly defines or purposely vague. We also shouldn’t immediately think that there’s something importantly and substantially about the product, by simply reading its label and marketing messages.
We should be aware that there are companies that purposely lie about many things. Some companies could actually put a knock-off “organic” seal from government agencies, when in fact they haven’t earned it. Unfortunately, many customers continue to trust these misleading marketing claims. Standard-setting and government agencies have tried to discourage such misleading practice by publishing various guidelines for proper usages of environmental-related claims. However, this could be only partially effective, because not all consumers want to educate themselves properly.
Average consumers don’t have the time to carefully investigate all products in their homes. They are not even aware that companies are adding misleading messages. Eco-labelling should be a standardized system that people recognize around the world. Two reliable eco-bales include GreenSeal and EcoLogo. We could check out their ratings in websites like Better World Shopper. The ranking is based on reliable standards of social and environmental responsibility. We could find hundreds of different products in various categories, ranked from A+ to F. Some of these products could have dubious reputation, although the sound quite healthy and green.
In reality, companies could intentionally mislead their consumers, because they are unaware of improper communication practices. Smaller companies with less comprehensive R&D resources could be unaware that their supposedly very green products could actually damage consumers’ health. They may also be unaware the term “green” isn’t only about being friendly ecologically, but also healthy for human bodies. Over the years, many substances and chemicals in products have been linked with possible health issues, such as fatigue, anxiety, digestive issues and even cancer. Many of these assumptions are documented in journals and scientific literatures.