Greenwashing: What Is It and How You Can Avoid It
Uncover all there is to know about greenwashing and view tips on how you can shop smarter to avoid being greenwashed!
Beware of greenwashing the next time you embark on your appliance purchasing journey! With eco-friendly initiatives, advanced technologies and efficient performance everywhere all over the market, it’s difficult to know if brand and product advertising is legitimate or if it’s all falsified. In this blog, we’ll help you shop smarter as we explain what greenwashing is, what it may look like and we’ll share tips on how you can best shop sustainably to ensure your household impact remains low.
What is ‘Greenwashing’?
‘Greenwashing’ is a term used to describe false or misleading environmental claims. Greenwashing makes businesses, brands, products and services appear more environmentally beneficial than they might be.
‘Greenwashing’ may involve omitting information from advertising claims, misleading or deceptive conduct that can amount to a false or misleading representation of actual events or circumstances.
The ACCC considers a business to be engaging in greenwashing when they use any claim that makes a product or service seem better or less harmful for the environment than it really is.
‘Greenwashing’: How to Spot Fake Ads and Claims
Not sure if you’re being greenwashed? There are various ways to spot ‘greenwashing’ tactics when you’re embarking on the purchasing journey:
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- Red Flag Terms: watch out for use and overuse of terms like “eco-friendly” or “green” without specific context and evidence.
- Vague Claims: terms like “sustainable” or “natural” can be misleading. Look for specific details that may back up the claim.
- Focuses on a Single Issue: companies or brands may highlight one small sustainable practice while ignoring larger environmental impacts, always try to look at the bigger picture.
- Lack of Evidence: seen a green claim on an ad or product’s site without research or evidence backed up? This is considered greenwashing.
- Distracting Visuals: eye-catching green imagery doesn’t always equate to sustainable practices.
- Misleading Labels: these include icons, labels and badges that aren’t associated with any reputable organisation, institution or corporation.
How to Avoid ‘Greenwashing’ & Purchase Sustainably
Below, we share some simple tips you can add to your shopper toolkit so that you can avoid greenwashing and buy sustainably:
- Do your research: research the brands and products you’re looking to buy.
- Keep an eye out for disclosures: these include disclaimers, proof of evidence of testing, scientific studies or data to support claims. Ensure that the evidence is current and relevant to the claim.
- Look out for trustworthy 3rd party certifications: examples include ‘Fairtrade’, ‘Certified B Corp’, ‘Cruelty Free’ and ‘FSC Recycled’.
- Read up on reviews and user opinions: use websites like National Product Review to see what other consumers have said about the product.
- Inspect usage and ratings: this is especially true for kitchen and laundry appliances and devices that may use electricity and water. Observe the amount of power (in kWh) or water (in Litres) used per cycle or year as a guide to how small or large the product’s environmental footprint is.
- Consider green plans or carbon/energy off-setting: it’s a great way to reduce your impact, albeit do research the terms and check what the energy provider does as part of the plan.
- Look out for energy-saving functions: whether it’s a program you can select or if the product goes into energy-saving mode when not in use, consider products that will reduce your usage and impact.
It’s Getting Hot: Energy Saving Air Conditioners to Consider
As the temperature rises, welcome summer with a cool breeze that will ensure your whole household is calm and collected with these leading air conditioners from Westinghouse and Fujitsu. Both air conditioners are reverse cycle meaning that they’re perfect to have for year-round comfort, offering both cooling and heating functions. Let’s take a look below!
Air Conditioner 1: Westinghouse’s C3.6kW H4.4kW Reverse Cycle Split System Air Conditioner – WSD36HWA
Great for small to mid-sized areas like bedrooms, home offices and living areas, this Westinghouse Reverse Cycle Split System Air Conditioner provides all there is to love about modern air conditioners. This slim unit includes purification functions, personalised comfort and smart control which ensures all users can monitor usage for cooling and heating that won’t break the bank and cost the world.
- Capacity: 3.6kW cooling capacity and 4.4kW heating capacity
- Air Purification: features a range of filters including a dust and ion filter, as well as a HEPA 13 filter which eliminates up to 99.9% of harmful bacteria <sup>1</sup>, helping to purify the air
- Personalised Comfort: ‘Follow Me’ mode which uses the remote’s location to adjust temperatures accordingly, meaning it can provide you with greater satisfaction compared to when changing temperatures based on a sensor at the top of the unit.
- Smart Functions: compatible with the +Home app <sup>2</sup>, so that you can remotely manage the air conditioner from your smartphone. With a touch of the app, you can change temperatures, set schedules and timers, and monitor energy usage.
- Controls Types: included remote control, via the +Home app, and voice control with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa voice assistant devices, so that with a simple voice command, you can make changes, hands-free <sup>2</sup>.
- Self-Cleaning: yes, the self-clean function helps remove dirt, mildew and bacteria from the unit’s parts
- DRED enabled: yes, being demand response capable, this Westinghouse air conditioner can be remotely managed by energy providers in times of peak demand, reducing your use and impact on the grid (optional)
- Energy Ratings: 5.5-Star to 6-Star for cooling and 3-Star to 3.5-Star for heating
- Warranty: 5-year
Air Conditioner 2: Fujitsu’s C7.1kW H8kW Reverse Cycle Split System Air Conditioner – SET-ASTH24KMTD-NXT
Designed for spacious areas like living rooms, combined kitchen and dining and even in apartments, this Fujitsu Lifestyle Next Reverse Cycle Split System Air Conditioner provides effective cooling and heating for peace of mind. This air conditioner boasts a Human Sensor which delivers optimal home climate control and goes into automatic energy-saving mode when there’s no movement detected.
- Capacity: 7.10kW cooling capacity and 8.00kW heating capacity
- Air Purification: Apple-Catechin filter absorbs dust, mould spores and other harmful microorganisms before it’s deactivated by the polyphenol ingredient found in apples. Odours are also removed by the use of the air conditioner’s Long-Life Ion Deodorisation Filter.
- Personalised Comfort: Human Sensor delivers optimal efficiency and temperature control. If there’s no movement after 20 minutes, the air conditioner switches to energy-saving mode and only back again once movement is detected.
- Smart Functions: using the myanywAiR® Next app, you can access a range of functions including geofencing, climate react and maintenance support.
- Controls Types: included remote control and via the myanywAiR® Next app for effortless management of the operating mode, timer, schedule, fan speeds, view usage and more
- Self-Cleaning: no, the unit however features filter indicators and a washable panel
- DRED enabled: this Fujitsu air conditioner is compatible with the Demand Response program. It will automatically adjust to your power supplier’s instructions to help manage peak electricity demand.
- Energy Ratings: 3.5-Star for cooling and 2-Star to 3-Star for heating
- Warranty: 5-year
Don’t get caught in the greenwashing trap!
Greenwashing is a sneaky tactic used by brands and businesses to make their products and services seem more eco-friendly than they really are. We hope this blog has helped you unpack what greenwashing is and how you can equip yourself to spot these misleading claims and make informed, sustainable choices for your home.
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FAQs
Greenwashing is a deceptive practice when companies try to make their products or services seem more eco-friendly than they really are. They might use fancy words or labels to trick you into thinking you're making a sustainable choice, even when their products aren't actually helping the environment.
Want to avoid greenwashing? Look out for vague terms like "eco-friendly" or "natural" without specifics. Be wary of claims that focus on one small sustainable practice while ignoring larger impacts. Always look for evidence to back up green claims, and don't be fooled by misleading labels or attractive packaging.
A classic example of greenwashing is when a company claims to be "eco-friendly" or "sustainable" without providing any specific evidence or details. For example, a company might use vague terms like "natural" or "green" to describe their products, even if they contain harmful chemicals or are made from unsustainable materials. Another common tactic is to focus on one small sustainable practice, like using recycled packaging, while ignoring other significant environmental impacts, such as the energy used to produce the product or the pollution generated during its manufacturing process.
While there isn't a specific law against greenwashing in Australia, it can be considered a form of misleading or deceptive conduct, which is illegal under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). If a company makes false or misleading claims about the environmental benefits of its products or services, it could face legal action from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
Therefore, while greenwashing itself isn't a specific offence, the deceptive practices associated with it can be subject to legal penalties.
Here are some quick tips to avoid greenwashing:
- Be skeptical: Question vague claims and demand evidence.
- Research the company: Look for transparency and certifications.
- Consider the whole picture: Don't be fooled by single-issue marketing.
- Support ethical brands: Choose companies with clear sustainability goals.
Featured Products
SKU: WSD36HWA
C3.6kW H4.4kW Reverse Cycle Split System Air Conditioner
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SKU: SET-ASTH24KMTD-NXT
C7.1kW H8kW Reverse Cycle Split System Air Conditioner
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