Sustainable Shopping

What is greenwashing?

Greenwashing is when a company or industry either states falsely or exaggerates the extent to which they are eco-friendly, for marketing purposes or publicity.

Issues with greenwashing:

Greenwashing can persuade consumers into buying from a certain company, when in reality, the company is harmful or just not as beneficial to the environment as they are leading you to believe.

What is fast fashion?

Fast fashion is the production of cheap clothing that is quickly produced to keep up with the latest trend. It operates on the idea that outfit repeating is a fashion no-no.

Issues with fast fashion:

  • The cheap fabrics that fast fashion is known for using results in clothing being worn through and thrown away quicker
  • Washing these cheap fabrics also contributes to the ocean’s pollution of microplastics.
  • The fashion industry produces 10% of all human generated carbon emissions.

How can I make a difference?

The first step in shopping more sustainably is to educate yourself! Just because a product is in a green package or uses words like “plant derived” doesn’t mean that it’s environmentally conscious.


The second step is to REUSE! Thrifting or upcycling are great ways to reduce your impact on the planet, and they are the best ways to fight fast fashion! Some good places to start are your local goodwill, craigslist, and facebook marketplace.

The basics:

Understand the different types of fabrics and their affect on the planet. You may know that clothing that’s made from nylon and polyester are non-biodegradable, but did you also know that the production of nylon creates nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas?

 

There isn’t much regulation in eco advertising.  Words like “natural” “certified” and “green” are considered too vague to have clear guidelines with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission). You should also be careful of any kind of seal of approval. Look up who has “certified” the product. Is it a verifiable third party?

 

“Plant based” or “derived from” are tricky terms as well. Since fossil fuels are technically natural and plastic is created using fossil fuels, almost any plastic product could claim that its product is made of “naturally derived plastic,” but guys it’s still just plastic.

 

Get familiar with no-no ingredients so you can easily spot a “washed” product. Some examples: 

  • Formaldehyde 
  • Phthalates 
  • Parabens 
  • Polyethylene 
  • Propylene 
  • Oxybenzone and octinoxate are commonly found in sunscreens and are severely damaging to coral reefs.  
  • Any product with plastic microbeads – like facial scrubs – are harmful to aquatic life. The last thing the ocean needs is more plastic! 

EWG is a great resource for understanding ingredients in household cleaning products. 

Resources:

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