Abnormal weather patterns have caused exceptionally warm water in the Pacific ocean, and this is the causing factor for a series of torrential floods in Peru. It is thought that the warm water is causing another El Niño, and climatologists have called it a “coastal El Niño”. Peru is a mountainous country and is extremely susceptible to mudslides, and the flooding has caused catastrophe in both mountainous regions, such as the area around Machu Picchu, along with arid, desertous regions, such Lima. According to NOAA, the ocean is neither in El Niño or La Niña, however El Niño is expected to come as early as April. The president stated that there hasn’t been an event this bad since 30 years ago. So far, the death toll is at 72. The flooding has destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes and over one hundred bridges. Water treatment systems have become clogged, resulting in restricted access to water in the capital. Crops all over the country are being destroyed, which will have a negative impact on the economy and the food supply. Many impoverished Peruvians live in slums, which have been completely washed away in many places, leaving thousands homeless. While the president insists that the flooding could not be avoided, the government has been criticized  for being unprepared for an event like this. Furthermore, citizens show concerns of not receiving help from the government in light of this awful catastrophe. It is estimated that the rain will continue for at least another month, leaving the country in a state of emergency. This event is just one example of how unpredictable weather patterns caused by climate change will impact people all over the world.

Before being introduced to greenwashing in the previous class, I had no clue on what this subject related to. Greenwashing can be described as, any act performed by a company that deceives the consumer in believing that the environmental practices performed by the company does no harm to the environment in regards to their product or service. As you can imagine there has to be a lot of products and services that are harmful to the environment that we have no clue is being done. I did some researching trying to find a good example of greenwashing that effects the environment regardless of what the packaging says. The everyday product that I came across, that took part in greenwashing was the Raid Earth Blends Multi-bug Killer. The Raid Earth Blends Multi-bug killer claims to be “an alternative insect control solution that contains an insecticide derived from the chrysanthemum flower”. Raid uses common tactics to appeal to consumers, by using words like “earth” and by displaying the color of the can in all green, which promotes this product as being “natural” for the environment. Despite its naturally derived component, the label still manages to warn users to avoid contact with skin and clothes, and not to inhale the mist when spraying it. This is a good example of greenwashing because insecticides are kind of impossible to make “natural” because the sole purpose of it is supposed to be for killing plants. Some of the ingredients found in this Raid products includes: Isobutane, Propane, and Piperonyl butoxide. Though these ingredients aren’t a big hazard to the environment, they still have a significant harm to people, pets, some insects, and fish if exposed too much.

As a whole, it is clear most people aren’t aware greenwashing even exists. For these companies to stop greenwashing, more people have to start becoming aware of the products they are purchasing because they could have great effects on the environment.

The Volkswagen diesel scandal is not unknown news to anyone. It was widely publicized how the company was advertising its low emission diesel cars, only to find out that 11 million of its engines had been purposefully tampered with by engineers to trick the emissions tests. The company had spent $77 million in America alone advertising the “clean” engines, all while knowing that they were outright lying to potential customers. I believe that is why this example of greenwashing is so incredible to me. Greenwashing is the practice of making something seem to be more environmentally friendly than it actually is. For most companies that take part in greenwashing, this usually means exaggerating the environmental benefits of a certain product. However, the fact that Volkswagen sat down and hired multiple engineers with the sole goal of creating a piece of software that would trick the emission test, fascinates and disgusts me.

I know greenwashing has been around ever since the green craze has started but I believe that the scandal with VW was the first time people felt deceived to that extreme of a degree, all the way to the point of banding together for a massive class-action law suit. I think that after the VW scandal, people became more aware of greenwashing and how merely a label or a slogan was no guarantee that the product or practices were actually environmentally beneficial. VW is still feeling the sting of being caught. They are dealing with law suits from all angles, because it was not only the consumers that felt lied to, but also the shareholders of the company. Lots are full of VW cars that will not be bought and it poses a real problem for the company. The scandal came as a shock to people also because of the fact that it was VW in particular that got caught with this deceit. Germany has worked hard to establish itself as a very green and responsible country that genuinely cares about the environment. If Volkswagen, a very iconic German company that has usually always been in good standing with consumers, is undertaking these practices, who is to say what other companies are taking part in similar practices all over the world. It creates an environment of suspicion but I believe that suspicion is the only way to ensure that companies work towards making what they advertise true. Once people find out that they were lied to, companies may have to deal with the same problems that VW is still facing to this day, and no company with dreams of being successful in the long run would willingly put themselves through that.

Over the past ten years growing rates of bee mortality has been on the rise. Researchers have done various studies attempting to draw correlations to bee mortality. One variable found was the increasing usage of pesticides for crop production. Since there has been such a dramatic population growth,  crop production increased as well. In order to waste no time in producing these crops, farmers spray pesticides to sustain crop health and keep pests off of them such as wasps, or flies. While doing so, one of the most important factors that helps contribute to pollination, the bee is negatively effected.

The bee can be exposed to pesticides in two ways , either directly or indirectly. One example of direct exposure being direct spray onto the crop; and indirect exposure being pesticide residue found in bee nectar. In both exposures, the bee has been shown to be equally harmed. The effects of these pesticides have shown to suppress bee immunity, increase the spread of bee diseases, weaken bee reproduction abilities, and in many cases, death.

Organic farming has proved to be very beneficial in sustaining bee communities. Within organic farming, farmers refrain from using synthetic, harmful products that in return help the bee community. In this community, bees are able to thrive from a natural environment. From large scale organic farming to even smaller scale organic farming done within someone’s backyard, anything proves to be beneficial in helping the bees. Also, bee conservation programs have recently become established to sustain bee habitats and communities while people are in constant close watch over the bees ensuring safety and protection from synthetic, harmful chemicals.

Still there is much more that is needed to be done. More education on this topic needs to be spread to the public, more funding from government needs to be established, as well as more bee conservation groups need to be formed. If nothing is done to stop the declining numbers of bees, soon enough bees will face total extinction for the generations to come.  The bee is the number one pollinator around the world, for various plants and crops, without the bee communities we will not be able to live and thrive in our world.

When we first started discussing greenwashing in class it really peaked my interest, due to the fact that I consider myself to be environmentally conscious when I see products advertised as “natural” or “green” it does tend to peak my interest. And that is the whole point, it’s supposed to appeal to this increasingly growing environmental movement that a lot of people care about. But is it all marketing, and what do these sustainable buzz words really mean?

While I do notice this type of marketing often in food packaging, I also tend to see them in the beauty industry. I decided to look into this a little deeper, specifically in shampoo and conditioner. When looking into the marketing of these products they all tend to describe “organic minerals and vitamins” that will save your hair. In particular Herbal Essences advertises “a truly organic experience”, so i decided to figure out how organic it really is. Turns out, not very, considering lauryl sulfate, propylene glycol and D&C red no. 33, and 1,4-Dioxane aren’t organic. Not only are these chemicals are dyes not eco friendly, they may be harmful to public health. 1,4-Dioxane is a carcinogen linked to organ toxicity and is in as many as 22% of cosmetic products, and despite this it is often not found on labels. The health concerns include cancer, organ-system toxicity and irritation.

Learning this information really shocked me. Companies are making millions of dollars making claims of being natural and good for the environment, when for some of these products that could not be further from the truth. Doing this research was a learning experience for me, that as a consumer one must look deeper into the products they choose to support. Consumers have all the power, and if people decide to put their money into companies that are truly eco friendly, then the big companies will follow.

I have to admit, I had never really heard of greenwashing until class. Greenwashing is when a company, government, or organization promotes green-based environmental initiatives or images but in actually functions in a way that is dangerous to the environment. It is essentially misleading customers about benefits of the product through false advertising and false claims. So, I stared looking around my apartment for products with misleading labels and lo in behold I came across my antibacterial dish soap, Dawn. The image on the front label features a baby duckling with the phrase “Dawn helps save wildlife” next to it. After a bit of research I discovered that this is deceptive. Yes, it is true Dawn donates their soap to help clean animals that are affected by oil spills, but the product itself contains chemicals that are extremely harmful to animals. Animal tests have proved that the chemicals in this particular soap have extremely harmful effects. Some of these ingredients are, trisoclan, sodium bisulfate, and quaternium 15. Trisoclan is linked to heart disease/ heart failure and also impairs muscle formation. Sodium bisulfate can be toxic if ingested potentially causing life-threatening effects. And lastly, Quaternium 15 can cause non-reproductive organ toxicity and also irritate the eyes and skin. It is apparent that companies only have one goal in mind, profit, no matter the consequences.

It is frightening how companies are trying trick customers into thinking their product is healthier, more sustainable, or in some cases even helps wildlife (Dawn). Even so, it is even scarier that people are not particularly aware of this. It seems as though our society is generally trying to become greener, for instance, our semi-recent emphasis on buying organics. Companies are using this to their advantage in order to increase their profits.

To my surprise, greenwashing is a much larger problem then I originally thought. Greenwashing is when a company decides to promote their product as “green” or “sustainable” although it isn’t at all. Probably one of the most shocking way greenwashing is used is to sell toys. Many toy products that can be bought in stores now-a-days have labels like “lead paint free.” This is all great when it is actually true. It is startling to hear of such cases like in 2007 when a toy company, Mattel, who produces Barbies and many other popular children’s toys, had a recall on most of its toys because of the discovery of lead paint on the toys. This isn’t the first instance of this happening either. 

Toys R Us is another culprit in the greenwashing facade of the toy marketing world. Because going green is becoming more and more mainstream, more and more parents are expecting a certain standard for what they are going to let their kids play with. This may be why Toys R Us and other large toy stores are beginning the switch to reusable bags. This is great for cutting back on the use of plastic bags, but what about the toys? If kids are playing and being poisoned because of toxic chemicals on their toys, then what do these bags do then? This facade is used by many to employ that they are in fact sustainable when in reality it’s a front.

The dangers of greenwashing doesn’t just stop with toxic toys. It is also important to pay close attention to food, cosmetics, cleaning products, and even airlines. The move towards wanting more green and sustainable products is great, but it is getting lost in translation between companies and consumers. It is our job as consumers to look out for these labels and to fact check the label.

When greenwashing was introduced in class, I have to admit that I had never heard about it before. After doing some research online, I found that greenwashing was a lot more complex that I originally thought. I thought that greenwashing only pertained to food, stating that it was “all natural”, ect. What surprised me is that it can affect all kinds of products that we buy. I found an article online (which can be found here:  https://www.environmentalleader.com/2017/02/greenwashing-costing-walmart-1-million/ ) that discusses how Walmart has to pay $1 million to “settle greenwashing claims that allege the nation’s largest retailer sold plastic products that were misleadingly labeled “biodegradable” or “compostable” in violation of California law” (Hardcastle, “Greenwashing” Costing Walmart $1 Million). It doesnt fully surprise me that things like this happen, but I did not consider how it actually was greenwashing. It is sad to me how the populace is pretty much being lied to about not only what they are eating, but also many other products that we purchase on a regular basis. When we buy things that are marketed as biodegradable, we believe that they will eventually biodegrade and not have such a negative on the environment. The article discusses how using the term biodegradable is misleading because almost nothing biodegrades in landfills (Hardclastle). As I continued to research this topic online, I found out that in California, where this lawsuit took place, it is illegal to sell plastic advertised as biodegradable without an attached disclaimer that states how long it takes to decompose.

Learning about greenwashing will definitely change the way that I look at shopping as a whole. I feel like it is definitely worth doing your research if you but products that are made to seem more ecofriendly than they really are, especially if it makes them more expensive. If you care about the environment enough to take the extra step or spend the extra dollar on trying to make less of a negative impact on the planet, it is worth your time to go online and see if you’re getting what you think you’re buying.

As I learned more about greenwashing, it made me wonder how my hometown grocery stores were affected by this topic. Being from upstate New York, I definitely prefer a grocery store called Wegman’s (they don’t have any locations even close to Charleston, sadly). Looking into Wegman’s, I was thankful to learn how sustainable and green their practices really are. I was hesitant to believe everything I read from the first sites that I went to, but as I continued my search, I found that Wegman’s really is an ecofriendly business. When they advertise something as local, it truly is local. I learned how they work with farms across New York state and the surrounding states to provide their customers with local and sustainable goods. By working closely with their growers and responding to the demand of their customers, Wegman’s claims to believe in adding to its sustainable practices through keeping the farms they buy from productive year round. I know that this is a topic that we discussed in class, talking about how farmers can grow different crops at different times of the year to keep their lands productive while also producing better in-season produce. I feel like this is especially important in areas such as upstate NY, because our seasons are so extreme. It is beneficial for the farmers in that area, because they can grow crops that need warmth in the warmer months, and then grow crops that can withstand the cold (One of which I learned was baby leaf greens). This makes it possible for the farmers to make a profit, while also providing customers with a constant supply of local, in-season produce.

Learning this information was reassuring because I can know that when I am buying “organic” or “local” food at home, I can be at least a little bit more confident that I am getting what I pay for. Since what I learned mostly pertained to produce, I would have to do more research about other Wegman’s brand products, but after today I definitely believe that it would be worth it. I would 100% recommend looking into your own local grocers and see if they are being up front about how green their products really are, because there is a good chance that you will be surprised by what you find. I feel like I got lucky with the results of my search, and can see myself looking further into stores like Bi-Lo and Harris Teeter before I go shopping while I am down here at school.

On February 28th, I was lucky enough to be one of the forty people that got to attend a DIY workshop hosted by the College of Charleston’s Office of Sustainability. The workshop focused on teaching us how to produce homemade versions of toothpaste, face wash, and body scrub. The event started with introductions as well as a brief discussion on the micro plastics that are put into many of the hygiene products that we use every day. Next, we all split into groups to begin making our products. My group started with toothpaste. I was especially lucky because I had actually just run out of normal  toothpaste that morning, and this was the perfect opportunity to restock. It was a truly simple process in all honesty. The toothpaste was made from only three ingredients. We just had to mix coconut oil with baking soda. After that was thoroughly blended, we had to add in peppermint oil as an additional way to fight off bacteria. Next, we got the chance to make an simple body scrub. This had a recipe that was just as simple as the toothpaste. All we had to do was mix Epson salt with baking soda. After that, we got to add whatever essential oils we wanted to the mix to match our individual preferences. Finally, we moved on the the exfoliating face wash. This was a bit more complicated. We had to mix Castile soap with carrier oil. Then, we added in honey to help exfoliate the skin. Next, we were given an enormous selection of essential oils that had different health benefits such as helping dry or damage skin. Lastly, my group thanked our hosts, and I asked if there would be any other events like this later in the semester because it was really fun. The office will be hosting more events in April as an FYI. Overall, this was a great learning experience, and I believe the products turned out fairly well.