Greenwashing Exposed

Ethan Shalem, Verrazzano Class of 2025, completed major in Political Science

My capstone project began with researching a topic related to natural science and political aspects, and I chose greenwashing and the consumer product industry, with Professor Diana Judd as my mentor. Greenwashing is when a large corporation uses terms like Green, Eco-Friendly, Sustainable, & Biodegradable to deceive a consumer into purchasing their product. At one point, there were no regulations on the types of false claims made on products, and policies are needed to regulate scientific ideas and discoveries. The government enacted congressional acts like The Textile Act of 1958 (which protected consumers from mis-advertisement in the textile industry) and federal programs like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC, protecting consumers from product mis-advertisement).The ultimate goal of my capstone was to research greenwashing and to assert that politics needs to influence and regulate natural science.

The case that I cover in my capstone project is about how Kohls and Walmart violated The Textile Act back in 2022. They advertised some textile products (clothing, bedsheets, pillow sheets, etc.) as bamboo products as being sustainable/environmentally friendly. A study showed that the so-called bamboo products were made from a chemically treated wood pulp called rayon. These products were being falsely advertised to consumers. Both retailers advertised these products with greenwashing wording, luring customers to purchase the products because of their assumed environmental sustainability.

My research found that the production of rayon has very negative effects on the environment and the factory workers producing it. The chemicals used to break down the wood pulp are usually released into waterways, contaminating different groups of species. Most importantly, the factory workers get exposed to these chemicals. The chemicals were found to be harmful to reproductive health, and many of the workers had no idea about this. The chemical process was banned from the United States due to how toxic it is, and we source the needed materials from third-world countries.

A philosopher that we covered in one of my classes was named Francis Bacon. He believed in the importance of transparency and scientific information being available to all. One of his most profound objectives was the clear goal of simply benefitting society. He never sought fame or profit for his research and findings. He was very much against the manipulation of science and false theories without substantial support backing the claims. Bacon introduced us to the Idols of the Mind, specifically the Idols of the Market Place. This is described as the troubles some of all the idols Bacon presents. This idol represents the false information communicated between people, such as a simple error in the information that is spread around. I had a great time reading and understanding what Bacon dedicated his life to. Professor Judd did a great job of teaching this course, and she was very knowledgeable on the philosophy topics. As she liked to say, “everything is better with Bacon,” and we were able to see Bacon’s ideas spread across to different philosophers over the years. He had a huge influence on natural science and politics, believing in the separation of natural sciences from the ideologies of the church.

Philosophers like Bacon have provided us with great knowledge. We can still apply this knowledge to modern-day occurrences, like greenwashing. As mentioned, unchecked industries like the rayon industry can lead to a whole list of issues. This included corporate greed, consumer deception, environmental destruction, and even worker exploitation. Politics can act as a safeguard, ensuring that science is developed and used responsibly. Global cooperation along with domestic cooperation will ensure that greenwashing is minimized or even removed.

We need to ensure that science is there for safe public usage. The fight against greenwashing is a human-wide issue. Although the cases mentioned took place in the United States, the issues begin when the products are being manufactured. When politics influence science, it can create the opportunity to establish regulations for corporations to follow. These regulations are in favor of consumer health and transparency, as evidenced by the FTC’s actions and The Textile Act of 1958. Politics has had a greater impact on natural science, ensuring corporate accountability, consumer transparency, and environmental protection.