Throughout the country, stores sell products with claims that they are “safe for the environment,” “ecosafe,” “recyclable,” “degradable,” “biodegradable,” etc.  This may be well-intentioned shorthand, but sometimes it is “green washing” – making things look “green” that aren’t.  What these terms tell us, and what they don’t tell us, influences what we buy and affects the environment.

These labels may refer to the product and not the packaging, the packaging and not the product, or to both.  Often, it is hard to tell.  And, without specific information, we cannot evaluate the claim.  Likewise, a label may state that a package has “less waste than our previous packaging” – but without specifics, this statement is only window dressing.

Labels sometimes say that the packaging or a product is made from recycled materials, but we are not told how much of the packaging is recycled.  The label also may not say if the recycled material is pre- or post-consumer waste.  “Pre-consumer” is waste left over materials from the manufacturing process, while “post-consumer waste” is material already used by consumers, put into recycling bins, and then made into new materials.  The market for pre-consumer waste is already developed.  It is important that the market for post-consumer waste be developed in order to keep pace with the public’s recycling efforts.  When possible, purchase items that state at least some post-consumer materials.  Also not found on labels are the conditions under which the products are made.  For example, Nike shoes can be found in recycled packaging – but the labels don’t alert us to sweatshop conditions in Nike’s overseas factories.

You may see the label “safe for children and pets” or “non-toxic.”  As “toxic” is not defined, for all we know, the statements could mean as little as “No one will suffer a horrible and instant death from this product.”  Crayola crayons, which kids often chew as they use, claimed to be non-toxic, but were exposed as containing lead.  On the insecticide Raid, the label said in big letters:  “Made with Pyrethrins: Pyrethrin Insecticide is Made From Flowers.”  In small print, it also noted that only 0.08% of the product is from the plant.  Ninety-eight percent is from “inert” ingredients not required to be listed despite their potential dangers.  Dursban is also an ingredient and a known neurotoxic; and another chemical, pipernyl butoxide, actually increases the toxicity of the other chemicals in the product.

There are a host of plastic items that say “recyclable” or “please recycle.”  These products, however, may be made from materials that are not recycled in the community in which they are sold.  Sometimes these products are made from a mixture of materials that makes recycling difficult or impossible.  Germany tackles this problem by making manufacturers financially responsible for the waste they produce giving them incentive to create products that are easily recyclable.  

In 1978, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were banned from most consumer products and are being phased out from others – but products called “CFC-free” or “ozone-friendly” may still damage the atmosphere.  Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to ozone problems, are still found in cleaning products, floor polishes, charcoal lighter fluid, White Out, windshield wiper fluid, alcohols, butane, propane, and isobutane, as well as hair sprays, hair gels and mousses in aerosol cans and spray pumps.  Safer hair products can be found in the Co-op’s health and beauty aids department, and safer household cleaners in our grocery department.  These still come in plastic containers, so please be sure to reuse or recycle them.

“Biodegradable” or “compostable” can be found on some products these days.  But anything – even organic food waste – that is tossed into a landfill degrades at an extremely slow rate, because modern landfills are covered to keep pollutants from escaping.  The covers also keep out light and moisture, which are needed for decomposition.  A product can also be called compostable, but it is not necessarily organic or even safe.  Proctor and Gamble claimed their plastic, disposable diapers could be composted into fertile soil!

I recently examined two spray cans of air freshener from the Co-op.  One said “environmentally friendly” and “please recycle.”  The other said “recyclable aluminum can.”  The first had a plastic pump that could be removed, making it possible to refill and reuse or recycle the can.  The other had an aerosol spray attachment that could not be removed, and therefore could not be recycled.  Environmentally, the choice is clear.  The best bet, however, is to bring small re-used bags to the Co-op and buy your favorite smelling spices and herbs in bulk.  Make your own mixture to put in a reused pump spray bottle, or place them in a small dish and leave them exposed to scent the air.  Replace as needed.  Baking soda in a dish will absorb odors.  When it needs to be replaced, it can be poured in your sink or toilet and used for scouring, then harmlessly washed down the drain – cleaning it as it goes.

Compare the labels on the two types of toilet tissue carried at the Co-op.  Next, compare these products to toilet tissue you see in chain stores.  Compare our dental floss, packaged in cardboard wrappers, to the plastic-wrapped floss in other stores.  Try this with other products, too, and with a bit of practice, you will learn to sift out the “green” from the “greenwash.”

The Federal Trade Commission has issued guidelines aimed at stopping greenwash advertising.  In France and the Netherlands environmentalists have introduced advertising codes for national legislation.  Various organizations are trying to counter corporate greenwashing with education and advocacy:  www.sweatshopwatch.org (510-834-8990); strategies to stop sweatshops Co-op America (202-972-5307); resources for building a sustainable future, alternative marketplaces, ending sweatshops Corporate Watch (415-561-6568, www.corpwtach.org): online magazine exposing greenwashing

If you have questions or comments about reducing our impact on the environment, please drop them off at the Co-op in the suggestion box.  We’ll do our best to address them.