10 Nontoxic Words Used In Greenwashing
As you start to adopt a low-tox lifestyle you might start noticing nontoxic buzz words that appear on the products you buy. And they can be very confusing! You may be wondering if products with these terms are actually safer for human health. So let’s unpack this type of marketing known as “greenwashing” and learn what terms to be on the lookout for.
What Is Greenwashing?
Greenwashing is a term first coined by an environmentalist in the 1980’s to describe companies that claimed sustainability or safety but with deception. It is a type of marketing that is used to mislead the consumer into thinking products are eco-friendly or safer for human health when in fact they’re not. Greenwashing uses certain buzz words to purposely mislead the consumer-and it can be very confusing trying to decipher whether a brand is truly being transparent about their claims. At AHH we prioritize human health so it feels important to inform you as the reader about how to spot greenwashing. Because ultimately we want you to be empowered in what you buy, what companies you support, and be able to protect your health from toxicants lurking in your home,
10 Common Nontoxic Buzz Words
As an experiment, start to notice the following nontoxic buzz words on products you buy for yourself, your children, and your home. They often appear on beauty & personal care products, laundry items, home fragrance, cleaning products and more. Note that the following nontoxic words are highly unregulated and most have no certification standards to meet-so take them with a grain of salt!
Natural-this word is seen on many products but has no bearing on how safe it is for human health.
Eco-friendly-this word is often used to represent sustainability for a product but has no impact on human health.
Vegan-this label is used to show that no animal ingredients were used in making a product, but this does not make it safer for human health nor does it mean it contains less toxicants.
Cruelty-free-this word signifies that there was no animal cruelty in the making of a product, but it does not make it safer for human health.
Clean-unfortunately this word has no merit for measuring toxicity and does not mean that a product with this label has less chemicals.
Green-this word is used loosely to indicate sustainability but has no impact on how safe a product is for human health.
Verified or Certified Nontoxic-this claim is not regulated and has no standards to measure safety (except for Made Safe Certified below).
Safer Choice-this certification was created by the EPA to offer safer product options but unfortunately falls short with subpar standards.
Clean Label-this entity and process for testing products has been shown to be unreliable.
B Lab or B Corp-this certification is used to measure social and environmental responsibility rather than nontoxic safety.
How To Avoid Greenwashing
So with all that you’ve learned you may be wondering how to navigate reading labels and choosing safe products that you can trust. Luckily, there are 3 ways to do so:
Technology & Brand awareness-There are quite a few apps that rank products for safety or scan ingredients for you. The one that seems most reliable that you can explore is called Switch Naturals . You can also choose brands that truly adhere to nontoxic standards which I often include in blogs, gift guides, & newsletters.
MADE SAFE Certification-This is the nontoxic certification that’s leading the way in safety & you can trust. They have a library of safer products available. On their site you can learn what toxicants they restrict and what they require of brands to meet their proprietary Nontoxic Certification. This is the only nontoxic certification program.
Integrative Nontoxic Living-As you learn about true nontoxic living you’ll develop skills for spotting greenwashing. Once you know what to look for you can replicate these habits for all areas of your home and lifestyle. Remember, small changes mater! You only need to learn these nontoxic living hacks once to create a nontoxic lifestyle you love!
