Green Lexicon (Monday Reportage) - Greenwashing January 5, 2026

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Green Lexicon (Monday Reportage) | Greenwashing Summary

Definition: Greenwashing refers to the practice of presenting a company, product, or policy as environmentally responsible without concrete actions to support those claims. It often relies on vague language, selective use of data, or symbolic gestures.

Why does it matter?

Greenwashing erodes public trust and delays real solutions to the climate crisis. When consumers are misled, truly sustainable initiatives lose visibility and support.

Common misuse

Terms like “eco-friendly” or “carbon neutral” are frequently used without transparent data, independent verification, or a complete life cycle analysis.

The Green Amazon Perspective.

In a time of climate urgency, misleading environmental communication is not harmless. It diverts attention from systemic changes and weakens collective climate action.

Let's get to the REPORTAGE on the topic:

When Green Promises Deceive: Understanding Greenwashing

How misleading environmental claims affect consumers, businesses, and the environment

Greenwashing—or eco-whitewashing—is an increasingly common practice in the global market. It's a strategy where companies try to give the impression of being environmentally responsible without adopting real structural changes to reduce their environmental impacts. While it may generate short-term gains in reputation and sales, this practice carries significant economic, legal, and reputational risks in the long term.

According to academic definitions and regulatory bodies, greenwashing occurs when companies mislead consumers about the environmental attributes of products, services, or the environmental performance of the organization as a whole—whether through omission, exaggeration, or lack of verifiable evidence.

In the European Union, a 2020 European Commission study analyzed hundreds of environmental claims on products and services and concluded that more than half were vague, misleading, or unfounded, and about 40% lacked adequate substantiation. The popularization of environmental discourse has created a new consumer profile: more attentive, more demanding, and willing to pay more for sustainable solutions. However, many companies have invested more in green marketing than in real changes to their production processes, exploiting this demand opportunistically.

Why is greenwashing a serious problem?

More than an ethical issue, greenwashing represents a concrete financial and legal risk. Companies that make misleading environmental claims may face:

Regulatory fines and administrative sanctions

Lawsuits for unfair business practices

Loss of consumer and investor confidence, especially among those who use ESG (environmental, social, and governance) criteria in their decision-making

Vulnerability to stricter environmental legislation

Cases such as the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010 illustrate how the perception of environmental responsibility can be profoundly shaken by high-impact incidents, resulting in billions of dollars in losses and a drop in market value that reverberates for years. Or even Volkswagen with Dieselgate. The Dieselgate scandal emerged in September 2015 when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that VW was using software to cheat emissions tests on diesel cars, manipulating pollutant results by up to 40 times to circumvent regulations, affecting approximately 11 million vehicles globally and generating billions of dollars in fines, recalls, and a change in company leadership.

Furthermore, deceptive practices can:

Compromising the health of consumers and workers

Destroy brand reputation

Drive away investors attentive to ESG criteria.

Exposes companies to litigation and market restrictions

The seven main mistakes of corporate greenwashing:

Sustainability experts have identified recurring patterns that help recognize greenwashing:

Hidden trade-offs: Solutions that reduce an apparent impact but generate another significant negative impact without transparency.

Lack of substantiation: Environmental claims without verifiable data, reliable certifications, or independent audits.

Vague language

Use of terms like “green,” “eco,” or “sustainable” without clear criteria or measurable metrics.

Deceptive labels and certifications

Creation or use of labels that mimic legitimate certifications to confuse the consumer.

Irrelevant information

Highlighting features that are already standard or required by law.

The lesser evil

Presenting marginal improvements in highly polluting sectors as if they were significant solutions.

Explicit lies

Proven false environmental claims.

Transparency as an antidote

Transparency is one of the most effective tools against greenwashing. Companies truly committed to Sustainability invest in clear data, public reports, independent audits, and honest communication about their challenges and limitations.

Combating greenwashing is not just about protecting the consumer—it's about protecting the economic, environmental, and social future of the companies themselves.

— The Green Amazon News

Text compiled from public data, scientific reports, and information from public institutions.

The Green Amazon News — All rights reserved.