Updated: Jul 18, 2023
Greenwashing is the disinformation of an organisation so that it presents itself in an environmentally responsible public image. Essentially, companies recognise the climate emergency or at least recognise the incredibly large growing mass of people who do and therefore, listening and ensuring their products are eco-friendly sustainable and have a minimal impact. This is a great marketing point, as it allows people to know they share our ethics and will then buy or use their products or services without jeopardising your own ethics and goals. Then here comes Evil Corp. They don’t want to put money in to actually achieve a green, sustainable and eco-friendly business but want to make you believe they are and willing to spend your money with them. This is where greenwashing appears.
Greenwashing can appear in many aspects and it can be hard to tell the signs. Companies will use a number of tricks to paint a product or service as green, eco or ethical from its image, its words used to the “certification” it acclaims to hold. Though there are many ways greenwashing appears, there are still some companies that are good, you just have to do some research or just think about what they are doing and if this meets a green ethic. Some key ways to do this is just by understanding the company and what they deal in, for example it is quite obvious huge fossil fuel companies aren’t really environmentally friendly, yet there can also be quite niche examples. Here are 8 cases of greenwashing you should be aware off:
Volkswagen and Audi used emission cheating software to deceptively advertise diesel vehicle as clean and environmentally friendly, when the were not.
Kauai coffee pods were advertised as 100% compostable with a fine print detailing this had only been certified at “industrial facilities”. The company agreed that this was misleading, as the coffee pods are not certified for backyard compositing.
Ikea noted as a major sustainable corporation have been linked to illegal logging in Ukraine, which is supposedly linked to the wood certification scheme ‘Forest Stewardship Council’ that has been described as greenwashing the timber industry.
Tide purclean detailed their laundry detergent is 100% plant based when it was only 75%, due to this the company agreed to change their packaging to not be so deceptive.
Starbucks released a “straw-less lid” that actually contained more plastic than the old lid and straw combination. Starbucks didn’t even deny this but pressed that it was made from a polypropylene, a commonly-accepted recyclable plastic. However, as only 9% of the world’s plastic is recycled, it is still creating a greater amount of plastic waste.
H&M have used displays and even slogans that are strikingly similar to those used by climate activist, things like “climate crusader”, as well as pictures of eco-activists, which they use as brand ambassadors. This is all to follow the growing sustainability trend. Yet they don’t really practice what they preach. Even their conscious collection, which is marketed as sustainable has higher damaging synthetic material than their main line. Many clothing brands like this also contribute a great amount to textile waste, which often ends in landfill.
BP changed their name to Beyond Petroleum and added solar panels to their gas station, then focused their advertisement on their low-carbon energy products, yet more than 96% of its annual spend is on oil and gas.
Coca-Cola has been ranked the number 1 plastic polluter and with this title they are still currently stating they are not going to abandon their plastic bottles. Yet still advertise that they are sustainable and eco-friendly.
This is just a handful of the greenwashing that goes on every day, there are many more cases of greenwashing, some that are pending, have been settled or dismissed and many more still ongoing. One story I heard detailed a company who produced eco-paint when the only thing eco-friendly about it was that the pot was recyclable. It angers me companies do this, to pray on people good ethics to further line their pockets. It is also annoying that some companies have for years defiled the environment and then switched to eco-friendly alternative or start to and make out like they were green to begin with, again this is misleading and unfair to the companies starting out with the world in mind.
There are many things to look for to find out if a company is guilty of greenwashing and you should be aware of these. Start with a mindset, where you can look at things in the broader sense by questioning a company’s motive, as well as its primary service/product. Also be aware of niche elements of greenwashing for example I am aware how plant based is the future due to often using drastically lest resources and being less harmful to the environment but can actually still contain products that are harmful such as palm oil. Not all palm oil is harmful but it is if done in an unsustainable way. It is also important that greenwashing can appear in all aspects not just when buying something, banks often brand the money you store with them as life changing and help to fund revolutionary (& green) businesses but neglect to mention the life crippling effect they have when invested in fossil fuel conglomerates. Here are some key things to look out for when buying a product or service:
Vague: Often in a companies catchphrase, motto or slogan they will use eco-friendly terminology but that don’t have an actual meaning to how they are green. For example using a broad term like eco-friendly but without noting how.
Imagery: This is used on product labels such as wildlife, trees, nature and the colour green to associate with a green message. Even though this gives the feeling of an eco-friendly products or service this is just a form of green marketing and does not mean anything.
False Certification: Companies use keen catchphrases that make you want to buy their products such as ‘organic, recycled, recyclable, etc. but unfortunately are not. They are just put onto a product or service to get you to buy them. This is often through some self-declaration or certification that has not be vetted. Make sure to check these claims and if it is actually possible for you to achieve e.g. recyclable locally or has to be sent away to the manufacture.
Swindle: Company’s might have a sustainable/eco-friendly product to wave and attract you but then once at their store show numerous other products that don’t meet the environmentally friendly disclaimer of the one that brought you there.
Simply put greenwashing is disgusting and a deceptive act for the rich to get richer with no care for the environment. It is used to trick people who are actually trying to make an active change through conscious decisions with their money, which is plainly upsetting. Therefore, I have tried to shed some light on greenwashing, some cases of it and what to look for, so you do not fall for it. One more part of inspiration that has always stuck with me on greenwashing comes from one of my favourite spoken word artist who gave the following lyrics:
“our revolution is quickly becoming a catchphrase, a colour to paint the walls of our castles, shell corporation the worlds second largest private sector oil company has now marketed itself as a leader in green technology, there new motto ‘we can pass as green if we just put green dye in the gasoline’”
- Watsky
Updated: Jul 18, 2023
Now, I am sure you know I love plants, nature, wildlife and I have always seen the amazing landmark of the domes of the Eden Project in pictures and wanted to visit them. Well on a family holiday or staycation due to the pandemic my family hired a cottage in Devon, only a stones throw away from The Eden Project from my current approximate 6+ hour journey. Well as this is a blog about nature and wildlife and the Eden Project is a place for this I thought I would detail a bit more about The Eden Project and my experience visiting the site in Cornwall. So here is my Eden Project review.
If you want the very brief overview, I would say the Eden Project is a plant lover’s dream, that I would highly recommend a visit for anyone who want to reconnect with nature, see some amazing plants or just wants a pleasant day out.
Who is Eden Project?
Eden Project is a visitor attraction in Cornwall, England within an ex-clay pit that was repurposed to give it life with the diverse plants and wildlife we see today. This idea became a reality and also created the charity it is today, which has the aim of exploring the interconnections between all living things. They also have several other goals include connection people with the natural world, celebrating plants and nature, working to regenerate damages landscapes, recognising the planetary emergency and need to protect the Earth.
The Eden Project has many goals that align with mine including; Implementing a creative and cultural place to provoke, captivate and inspire and undertake works on regenerative sustainability making thing better for the environment, society and economically.
Eden Project have also gone international and have site across the UK and in Australia, China, Cost Rica, New Zealand and USA. I was lucky to get a glimpse of some of the other sites from the pictures and 3D mock ups that were on show in the café between the biomes. The Eden Project has the motto of reconnecting people with nature with the additional goals to protect, preserve and encouraging it. So if you like the sound of this check out one of the ones that is closes to you and I am sure you wont be disappointed.
Cornwall Eden Project
A famous landmark of the UK is the famous Eden Project located in Cornwall. Alongside the massive ex-quarry regeneration into a nature hotspot sits several structures, predominantly consisting of the two famous domes, the rainforest biome and Mediterranean biome. There is also several other elements including the Outdoor Gardens, Invisible Worlds Exhibition, numerous sculptures and more.
At first I was slightly concerned it was going to be like another luxury garden, which has many of its plants ripped out and replaced to create a pristine view. However, I can assure you this was not the case To me it appeared that the majority of the plants had been there for years to grow and develop, which was especially the case within the rainforest biome dome. To quickly summarise my experience at the Eden Project definitely rekindled my love for nature and is a must for anyone who want to get expired by earth.
Outdoor Gardens
Before we even got through the front gate, walking down from the carpark, above the quarry, through the mounds among the paths the banks had been planted with numerous trees, bushes and flowers, alongside some beautifully painted beehives. It was great to see large hives flourishing, which I am sure also help the plants through the hard pollinating efforts of the bees. This helped clarifying that the Eden Project is not another manicured garden but a place for nature and wildlife to thrive.
Once we got inside and a quick tea break, we began the walk high up in the quarry with stunning views of the biomes, which I am incredibly eager to get into. The route started high up in the ex-quarry with these parts being filled with trees, bushes, flower, dry stone walls, moss and more. It was clear the Eden Project had given sections of this land back to nature, allowing the local wildlife to flourish. It even gave me ideas of what I could do in my garden, such as making a living gazebo, as seen below.
Along the way we experienced numerous sculptures connecting man-made life with nature creating beautiful art to further peoples enjoyment of their trip here. Down among the buildings a much more manicured section of the ex-quarry still highlighted some amazing plants and even a small agricultural section showing the numerous crops grown throughout the world. Nearer the biomes there is also additional features from garden arches covered in plants to a manmade water stream that were also home to further wildlife such as the frog we saw floating within it.
Rainforest Biomes
This was defiantly the highlight for me, it was full of the most exotic and beautiful plants, huge lushes green leaves, massive trees, waterfalls and wildlife that I feel would make most want to see the exotic lands these plants come from. Meandering through the biome weaving around the streams, small waterfalls, ponds (pools) there were millions of plants to see. I must have took about 500+ pictures of the plants, flowers, leaves only a fraction on here (more on my Instagram).
There was also quite a bit of wildlife to see. Throughout the trail was a few birds flying about but more interestingly the long ant trails lining up the trees. There were also some quirky looking birds with what I can only describe as having ‘wild’ hair lurking around the trees pecking at I assume the numerous insect in the undergrowth. The massive waterfall was also incredibly impressible and trickled down in streams, smaller waterfalls that swell into small bodies of water surrounded by more plants. The biome was also full of information about the impacts we are having on the planet, as well as crops grown in more tropical climates. Stunning and information.
Mediterranean Biome
Off into the Mediterranean Biome, which was nowhere near the size of the previous Rainforest Biomes but definitely captured the essence of the Mediterranean. From the carefully selected plants, cacti, deeply aged olive trees to the beautiful tiled floors, crisp white walls taking me back to my holiday across the seas. Throughout the biome they had install authentic tiled floors, gravelled surfaced to some of the planted areas, clay pots to further create the humid atmosphere.
There was some incredibly bright coloured flowers throughout the biome, which contrasted beautifully with the pure white walls. It was nice to see the different type of plants you get in a completely different atmosphere. Inside the biome there was a huge sculpture art piece at the centre, which was incredibly stunning. It also housed an Mediterranean café to allow you enjoy the dome for longer.
Why write about it?
Well if you love houseplants or like to see nature that you are unlikely to see without travelling across the globe I wanted to provide a great recommendation to any UK residence or even those visiting. It is an incredible place that has rehabilitated a scar in the landscape to a nature haven for wildlife to thrive and for people to reconnect with. This blog is about sustainability and helping the planet heal and for wildlife flourish, whilst enjoying some incredible plants, which fits with what the Eden Project is all about. Personally, I couldn't recommend it more, go in the spring and summer to further enjoy all the gardens in bloom and I am sure you will not regret it.
Updated: Feb 16, 2022
I have recently had my adventure where for 4 hours myself and my partner have been taken around a quaint peninsular in a Land Rover in Suffolk with our tour guide Phil in search for some of Great British wildlife. We enjoyed it so much that I thought I would right a summary of our experience and the motivation it has given us to get out and see more.
It was Christmas 2019 (a distance memory) were my partner gifted me an experience to discover some of the British wildlife right on our doorstep but are unseen by most. I had received a voucher to book and see what Phil called the Suffolk big 5, which consists of ‘badgers, foxes, hares, owls and deer. Although, he cannot guarantee everything on the list he knows the locations to go and what to look out for. Well unfortunately, due to COVID-19 and the poor weather at the time it has taken to May 2021 to book a date and despite the spotty weather we had decided to go for it and hope for the best.
So with my new trendy (according to their online reviews and my opinion) Nocs Waterproof binoculars, my compact digital camera and excitement we met at the start of the peninsular to begin our tour. We received a warm welcome from Phil who pleasantly introduced himself and then detailed the journey we would be going on. Although, most of it was done by car there was also a short walk to see a bit more. Luckily, Phil is very agile in his car and is able to manoeuvre the thin country lanes and stop in the right spots to see some incredible creature.
We start the journey and quickly go through to the country lanes between farm fields. Our first spot is the British Hare, which stood out with it reddish fur and black tip ears (the picture does not do it justice) poking among the farmers crop. Although we saw many of these throughout our tour I cannot think of a time I have seen them before. We saw them jump around a little and as we went on saw plenty more in every field looking up, running through the field before lying down out of site. Through these lane we also saw Sparrows, Goldfinches, Robins and more darting in and out of the road side hedges, where much of our wildlife live. Occasionally we would see among the hares the odd rabbit, partridges and female and male pheasant in all their colours and glory. We also saw a little Muntjac Deer and pheasant slowing out vehicle as it crossed our path.
Further along among the farmers field in the distance on the far edge of the fields in front of a small woods we see our first heard of farrow deer, again a pleasant sight. On the way to our next area, we hit a stroke of luck as I managed to spot what turned out to be a slow worm. I spotted it and thought it looked strange but as it was in the middle of a muddy country drive thought it was likely to be a bit of wire. We got out to see the slow worms tongue flicker out and slowly move on to the local bush. Another first experience for me.
After this we head towards a small old hamlet, where Phil gave us the history, which was interesting. On our way to the final destination we also passed a bridge and spot a Tuft duck to add to our growing list of wildlife spotted. We reach the hamlet and drove up by a row of trees, not sure what we were looking for until Phil pointed out a Little Owl sitting proudly on one of the stretched out branch. These owls are rather small but still incredible, after a while it got spooked by the some dog walkers and fly’s off. Luckily it lands on a wood fence just around the corner, again we watch the little owl for some time and takes some pictures before we leave.
We park up and take a short walk to a quiet area. Again seeing some Greylag and Canada geese, squirrels, dark pheasants, some local horses and some interesting looking trees. It was a nice to break the drive and get out and be among nature for a while. We come back and head to our final destination, on our way stopping again to see a different herd of farrow deer and a distinctive melanocytic one standing out among the rest. Another beautiful wildlife spot.
We finished our evening by parking up on a hill overlook another and into a small valley oversees two bushy patches. It was a great position although far away but you could see the hills and these habitat hotspots perfectly, especially with some binoculars. Immediately we saw a Roe deer staring dead at us from the middle of the valley by the bushes on the edge of the farmers field. After starring for a while we did not see anything else until I spot a fox that seemed to suddenly appear right onto of the badger set, I pointed it out and watch it walk across the hill and under a row of bushes along a farmers field. Before long, Phil pointed out another fox from the other bushy patch that slowly walked off to the same direction. After a little, more time my partner pointed again to the Roe deer just in front of the bush line at the bottom of the fields, which had moved, whilst looking at this I noticed something in the tree/bush line, a white floating head. I focused in on it and it came a little further out and then I was sure. I had just seen my first wild badger. We continued to watch the two deer and the badgers behind them come in and out of sight for some time. Then to finish the evening we had cups of teas and listens to the cuckoo. A great wildlife tour, rekindling our passion for nature and wildlife.
The afternoon was an incredible experience and I couldn’t thank our guide Phil enough. He did a great job to show us some incredible wildlife and I hope he continues to do this career he is clearly so passionate about. He now specialises in wildlife photography tour, which I would encourage you to book and enjoy.
We enjoyed the tour and all it taught us about finding incredible wildlife, right on our doorstep. We learnt a lot about where to find them, what to look for, what to avoid and much more, all to help you find these animals without unethically attracting them. This experience ignited something inside myself and my partner to take the time and explore more of Britain and its wildlife, which I will hopefully show with you over the years to come.
