Why do large companies only ever seem to...
Talk the talk and never walk the walk?
Firstly what is greenwashing anyway? This is how Greta Thunberg described it in a tweet about the fashion industry back in August 2021:
“Many are making it look as if the fashion industry are starting to take responsibility, by spending fantasy amounts on campaigns where they portray themselves as ‘sustainable’, ‘ethical’, ‘green’, ‘climate neutral’ and ‘fair’” she wrote, “But let’s be clear: This is almost never anything but pure greenwashing. You cannot mass produce fashion or consume ‘sustainably’ as the world is shaped today. That is one of the many reasons why we will need a system change.”
Big brands so often talk the talk but never seem to get round to walking that walk spending vast amounts of money on advertising in an attempt to make the brand seem greener than it is. If you are now wondering why they are mostly held unaccountable for their actions, it’s because they can afford to get their legal team to check the wording of any such press release or advertising campaign. They make sure they aren’t committing themselves to anything, and then say whatever it is that they need to to keep the consumer on-side. Be under no illusion these companies are only trying to limit the number of consumers that find other brands not talking but doing already.
What can be done about it? By the individual; not a lot! Laws need to be put in place to stop the use of green buzz words that hold no accountability. All the consumer can do is take their money somewhere else and hope that enough other people do the same that the brand notices the revenue loss and are forced to make a real change.
However, what the consumer needs to ask themself is; do you want to support these companies? They don’t care about the consumer, they don’t care for the planet, and they don’t care for the people in the supply chain; wouldn’t your money be better spent with a company that is built on great morals, rather than those built on none?
