Today, large companies and brands can come up with issues that society is sensitive to in order to attract customers and retain their existing customers. In this regard, especially in recent years, advertisements that are sensitive to environmentalism have increased considerably. So, are these brands really environmentally friendly?
There has been so much premium on environmentalism in the world in recent years that even a special name has been given to this situation: greenwashing. This term, whose name is not heard very often in Turkey, leaves no stone unturned from time to time, especially in Europe.
We can translate the word Greenwashing directly into Turkish as “Green Whitewash”, “Green Painting” or “Green Laundering”. But to be more understandable, I refer to Greenwashing. “Green scam” There are also authorities who say.
On the dictionary meaning of greenwashing
Activists protesting brands’ Greenwashing ads with money and cleaning supplies.
greenwashing (or Greenwash), in the Cambridge Dictionary “Convincing people that a company is doing more to protect the environment than it actually isdefined as “. Let’s also keep in mind that the word Greenwashing is derived from Brainwashing.
Maybe you can say to yourself, “Why should anyone bother when a brand publishes advertisements with environmentally friendly messages?” and you are not wrong in this. But in question non-environmental brands and products wearing an environmentalist style It should be noted that it draws a lot of attention. As a matter of fact, there is a huge cake in the environmental products market and big brands are trying to get as big a slice of the cake as possible. So much so that according to a report published in 2015, 2/3 of customers buy and use greener products by paying more pro. As such, it sounds quite normal for big brands to water their mouths.
The birth story of Greenwashing
Architect of the word greenwashing American environmentalist Jay Westerveldis . While mentioning the word Greenwashing in an article he wrote in 1986, Westerweld summarizes the event that witnessed the birth of Greenwashing as follows: “A hotel had announced that the towels in the hotel rooms would no longer be changed every day, so that they could protect the environment. Moreover, the hotel decorated this decision with huge advertisements throughout the country.”.
When Westerweld investigates the incident and reaches the hotel’s records, that the hotel does not save any energy in terms of energy, and that the main purpose is to make a profit by getting rid of laundry costs only. disclosed. While the hotel got rid of laundry costs, it also attracted more customers. Since 1986, when this event was told, many Greenwashing incidents took place and were detected. Let us leave you alone with a few famous Greenwashing Incidents if you wish.
Shell’s message that “even if we pollute nature, we repair it”
In an advertisement published by Shell in 2007, the message “we use waste carbon dioxide to grow plants” caused this advertisement to be banned. Indeed, in research Only a very small part of the waste carbon dioxide is used in plant cultivation. and it was announced that it was banned because the advertisement gave a message as if all waste carbon dioxide was used in plant cultivation.
Volkswagen’s “our cars are environmentally friendly” message could not see Isha
After the scandalous incident, Volkswagen’s “Das Auto” slogan was ridiculed by some and changed to “Gas Auto”.
One of the first examples that comes to mind when greenwashing is mentioned and Dieselgate Scandal It is not possible if we do not mention the subject mentioned above. In 2015, German automobile giant Volkswagen’s vehicles in the USA a system that misleads testers measuring carbon emissions had been detected. After this determination, Volkswagen accepted the scandal and paid a fine of approximately $ 18 billion. It also had to recall 500 thousand vehicles in the USA.
McDonald’s battle with straws
Let’s come to an example that we encountered in our country for a while. McDonald’s in 2018 the environmental enemy of disposable plastic straws is; therefore recyclable paper straws announced the transition. In 2019, it was revealed that McDonald’s straws were not recyclable. After this incident, McDonald’s also put its name on the Greenwashing list. Before this event, McDonald’s had changed its logo color to green in some European countries.
Ancol Pet Products screwed our pet friends
Ancol Pet Products, a world-famous brand that produces products for our pet friends, advertised in an advertisement in 2019. that the bags produced by dogs for their feces are environmentally friendly. had explained. This incident was also branded as Greenwashing shortly after.
If you had said that you are releasing oxygen to nature while flying: Ryan Air
Ireland-based airline Ryan Air, known for offering low-cost airline tickets to its customers, stated in an advertisement published in 2020 that they are “Europe’s lowest carbon-emitting airline”. Since this claim of Ryan Air could not be proven, it was banned in a short time. If the reason for the ban abuse the feelings of environmentally conscious people shown.
Will the Chinese ever hold back: Hyundai
Hyundai’s release this year “the car that cleans the air” The ad with the slogan is also one of the ads that are labeled as Geenwashing and banned because it is misleading.
Another straw case: Starbucks
In 2018, the coffee giant Starbucks, a cleaner environment and ban straws to protect the environment had explained. It has been determined that perforated lids that Starbucks will use without straws are even more environmentally friendly than straws, but are cheaper in terms of cost. In other words, Starbucks was included in the Greenwashing list when it was understood that the main purpose was to make profit, not the environment.
One of the most devastating examples: Apple
Apple, one of the giants of the mobile world, has been supplying its customers with products for a long time. without charger and earphone offers. Although Apple did this in the first place an environmentally friendly step Although he describes it as a profit, many argue that Apple does this for profit. Today, many brands other than Apple no longer include accessories such as chargers and headphones, although they do not include them in the box. Apple’s linking this situation to environmental awareness It is perceived as greenwashing.
Recycling attacks in the clothing industry: H&M and Zara
Textile giants H&M and Zara that they produce environmentally friendly clothing products and that these products are recyclable announced, but in the examinations made, it was learned that only 20% of these products were recycled and 80% of them were garbage.
Has anyone tried the taste: Coca Cola Life
Although it is not sold in our country, Coca Cola’s “Coca-Cola Life” It was a product initiative. According to Coca Cola’s claim, this product completely recycle product, but we can see that this initiative did not work around the world. Many critics describe this development as Coca Cola’s that there is no other step beyond painting its packaging green. argued.
What can we do against greenwashing?
The activist in the image asked advertising companies with a banner, “Which green do you see, the green of the dollar or the green of nature?” poses the question.
In a study conducted in the USA between 2008 and 2009 that 98% of the products of the brands that publish environmental friendly advertisements are not honest about it. had appeared. This is a very serious rate indeed. A brand’s production of environmentally friendly products is one of the most beautiful developments for our world, but as long as it is honest about it… The share that falls on us, the users, is that we are not deceived by advertisements; To investigate whether products that claim to be environmentally friendly are actually environmentally friendly.
In recent years, we have watched many advertisements containing environmental sensitivity in our country. One of the most striking of these ads is Demonstrating that Mavi produces from recycled products It was an advertisement.
What do you think about environmental advertisements in our country, including the advertisement of Mavi? What are the environmental product advertisements that you find sincere or not? You can specify in the comments.
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