The answer to 'greenwashing' is clear: Go local

After Greta Thunberg announced she would boycott the COP 27 climate conference as it would be rife with so-called 'greenwashing', Kate Assaraf argues the means to shopping ethically and countering companies' false eco credentials are right on our doorstep… 

Consumers are tired of trying to do the right thing, only to find out that they have been duped by big companies with glossy marketing campaigns. Each week, it seems like another big corporation is found to be guilty of 'greenwashing' – the use of misleading advertising in order to appear more environmentally conscious than they really are. The Advertising Standards Authority continues to clamp down on an increasing number of household names. Inevitably, this has led to more confusion, frustration and disillusionment across the public. Who can we trust? And how do we shop ethically in a world of false corporate promises and eco-deception?

The answer is loud and clear: go local. It is much easier for smaller companies to be fully transparent and to build trust, and there are already numerous small businesses that are actively playing their part in the global sustainability effort. No one is doing this better than the refill stores popping up in every community across the country right now. They are not doing this for their brand, as many large corporations are. They are doing it because it's something they truly, genuinely believe in.

Corporate world has been 'pulling the plastic over our eyes'

A UK study found that one in five businesses admit to greenwashing, while half say that their sustainability efforts are failing. These big corporations often have ulterior motives for presenting themselves as eco-friendly to a consumer base that is becoming increasingly environmentally conscious.

Aside from the perceived benefits of the "corporate performance" of sustainability, there are also financial incentives on offer. Sustainability-linked bonds allow firms to borrow money cheaply, providing they meet certain environmental, social and governance regulations. These are often flimsy and easily wangled by big businesses, who can simply purchase a series of fraudulent carbon credits to 'offset' their own emissions. A large portion of these carbon credits are widely documented as being ineffectual, as they contribute towards projects that do not actually reduce emissions to the extent that is advertised.

This is not the first time the corporate world has pulled the single-use plastic over our eyes. In recent years, the myth of recycling was exposed in all its ugliness, even though petroleum companies have known this for decades. While many of us had been diligently and painstakingly separating out our recyclables, it turned out that 91 per cent of plastic – a material that takes more than 400 years to degrade – is not actually recycled. Last year, the US only recycled around five per cent of its plastic trash as a result of the pandemic.

This is a problem that is being caused by the relentless gluttony of the corporate world, as is underlined by the fact that just 20 firms produce 55 per cent of the world's plastic waste. To add insult to injury, 90 per cent of the cost of recycling is paid by taxpayers, instead of those responsible. What's more, phthalates in plastic have been shown to increase the likelihood of a whole host of health problems, such as prenatal mortality, birth defects, breast cancer and fertility issues.

The good news is, the willingness to contribute positively towards the widespread reduction of plastic, is becoming more and more prominent among shoppers. Almost 50 per cent of US consumers are looking to change their purchasing habits in order to help the environment. Stop any stranger on the street and ask whether they want to do better for the environment – you'll most likely hear an enthusiastic "yes". The problem is, with greenwashing and an increasing mistrust of large corporations hiding brand-consciousness behind the façade of environmental-consciousness, consumers are tasked with a research assignment instead of confidence to shop freely.

The most powerful thing a consumer can do is vote with their cash

The solution is to spend our money instead at smaller, local businesses who do the research for us. Owning a small, eco-friendly store that curates sustainable goods is not an adorable hobby, as some try to frame it. Not only are they curating genuinely sustainable products, they are also tasked with educating entire communities about how to shop ethically. Refill stores are the new record stores – a place to dip out of the mainstream and find something new, authentic and curated. By changing our purchasing habits in this way, we can ensure that we are supporting authentic sustainability.

The real sustainability progress will be made by a large network of small companies, rather than a handful of big companies. Small companies are often not driven by shareholder interests. Sustainable entrepreneurship is achieved by business owners that have no one to answer to – other than their customers.

Make sustainability a necessary prerequisite for your shopping

The most powerful thing a consumer can do is vote with their cash. We have to face the fact that big companies will always be driven by profit-margins. It is therefore up to us as consumers to make sustainability a necessary prerequisite. Of course small businesses are not the solution in every industry but, when it comes to consumer goods, it's a great place to start.

Small businesses that are environmentally driven are gatekeepers, preventing chemicals like phthalates, plastic and heavily greenwashed goods into their products and front doors. They cast an intentionally small net, while big businesses are comfortable casting a broader, less conscientious net in order to capture a larger customer base. Most small stores have a strict vetting process before placing sustainable products on their shelves, including the way they're received, whereas big box retailers often operate with an entirely different set of values and mandatory shipping policies to receive plastic wrapped pallets of goods.

Small businesses are the ones doing the heavy lifting for sustainability. It's time that we, as consumers, share their burden, instead of continuing to support eco-unfriendly firms in the name of convenience.

Kate Assaraf is the CEO and founder of Dip Hair Care, a sustainable hair care firm with the primary objective of boosting environmental awareness.