{"id":9944,"key":"Greenwash","title":"Greenwash","latest":{"id":1208813,"timestamp":"2025-11-28T00:55:01Z"},"content_model":"wikitext","license":{"url":"https://www.appropedia.org/Appropedia:Copyrights","title":"CC-BY-SA-4.0"},"source":"[[File:XR greenwash march in Glasgow (51657070315).jpg|thumb]]\n\n'''Greenwash''' is where a company, government, or other organization advertises positive environmental practices while acting in the opposite way. (See [[Wikipedia:Greenwash]] for more descriptive and encyclopedic information. The planned focus of this Appropedia page is on discussing examples of greenwash and ways of combating it.) This may be a matter of \"spin\" or outright dishonesty. Greenwashing is common in industry and widespread.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2022/02/16/1081119920/greenwashing-oil-companies Accusations of 'greenwashing' by big oil companies are well-founded, a new study finds] by Joe Hernandez, published by NPR, 2022-02-16</ref>\n\n== Cheating on efficiency tests ==\n\nA device has been installed by manufacturers in refrigerators to cheat energy efficiency tests. The device detects test conditions (typically 22 degrees Celsius [76 degrees Fahrenheit]) and activates the energy-saving mode, creating an impression of lower running costs and energy usage. The devices have been banned in Australia since 2007, but one manufacturer was caught using the device in 2010.<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/environment/green-fridge-labelled-a-fraud-20100316-qclx.html Green fridge labelled a fraud]</ref>\n\n== Problems with life cycle analysis ==\n\n[[Life cycle analysis]] is often performed in decision making on what new products to invest in. It involves comparing some competing suppliers, their different products of this certain type of desired product. They should really need to make the analysis much larger, more heuristic{{W|Heuristic}} and think carefully about if they can choose another type of product or service that is better and perhaps can replace the need entirely for the product type they intended to purchase, or one type of product with several combined functions and options can replace certain product types. There are also possibilities for doing any other measure in the organisation that can reduce the need for purchase of new products.\n\n== Cryptocurrency ==\n\nTech entrepreneurs like Jack Dorsey and Elon Musk have argued that Bitcoin is environmentally sound because it incentivizes renewable energy.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56844813 Jack Dorsey and Elon Musk agree on bitcoin's green credentials] from the BBC, 2021-04-22</ref> In reality, the vast majority of the energy used for generating Bitcoin is coal-based<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/why-does-bitcoin-mining-much-152227882.html|title=Why does Bitcoin mining use so much energy from fossil fuels?|date=2022-03-22|accessdate=2022-04-03|work=[[Wikipedia:The Independent|The Independent]]|author=Joe Sommerlad}}</ref> and it's all used for an asset that is rarely used as a currency but as a collectible hobby and speculative asset. Were Bitcoin an actual currency, a [[life cycle analysis]] of how it compares to minted and printed currency could be done to see which is more appropriate.\n\n== Legal approaches ==\n\nThe [[Wikipedia:Competition and Markets Authority|Competition and Markets Authority]] in the United Kingdom has begun publicly shaming fashion companies that have deceptive labeling and marketing about their ecological appropriateness.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2022/mar/11/greenwashing-uk-fashion-firms-to-be-named-and-shamed-by-watchdog|title=Greenwashing UK fashion firms to be named and shamed by watchdog|date=2022-03-11|accessdate=2022-03-15|author=Helena Horton|work=[[Wikipedia:The Guardian|The Guardian]]}}</ref>\n\n== Notes ==\n\n<references />\n\n== External links ==\n\n* [[Wikipedia:Greenwash]]\n* [[Wikipedia:Life cycle assessment]]\n* [http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Greenwashing RationalWiki: Greenwashing]\n* [http://web.archive.org/web/20140207071144/http://en.ekopedia.org:80/Greenwashing Ekopedia on Greenwashing]\n\n{{Page data\n| license = CC-BY-SA-3.0\n| keywords = Business, Sustainability, Advertising, life cycle analysis, efficiency tests\n| description = Greenwashing misleads consumers. Appropedia reveals how to spot it, why it happens, and how to choose truly sustainable options.\n}}\n\n[[Category:Business]]\n[[Category:Sustainability]]\n[[Category:Life cycle analysis]]"}