Greenwashing

Deceptive eco-advertising and its prevalence in the home appliance

industry.

Sin of Vagueness

• A claim that is too broad or not legally defined

• Example: “All-Natural” products

Sin of Worshipping False Labels

• Companies that create fake 3rd-Part endorsements

• Example: Magazines paid to evaluate products

Sin of Irrelevance

• A claim that may be truthful but is unhelpful

• Example: “CFC-Free”

Sin of the Lesser of Two Evils

• A product that is only green in comparison to other products in the category

• Example: Organic Cigarettes

Sin of Fibbing

• Outright lies• Example:

Companies falsely claiming to be energy-star certified

Genuine Green Labels

Home Appliances

• Refrigerators, Washers, Toaster, Air Conditioners.....

• We all have them

• Hard/Impossible to Realize Greenwashing

Example 1: Samsung

• Read everything carefully

• Don't believe everything you read or see

• Symbols don't always mean something

• Every Award is different

Example 2: LG

• Research

• Compare Multiple Tests

• Don't believe what they say

• Look into the history of the company, were they caught before?

Example 3: GE

• Promises are promises, nothing more

• Money means nothing, I can markup anything

• Companies don't need to give you the whole story. They can leave parts out that make huge differences.

Lowe’s-- Improving Homes?

• Selling Greenwashed products is only fueling the Greenwashing epidemic

• Needs to Re-think Objectives

Honest AND Eco-Friendly

• Adopt policy of honesty

• Share information on true green appliances and their companies

• Focus advertising on just those products

Benefits

• Reassure customers

• Improve sales

• Better the image of the company for the future