Greenwashing, urban life in a climate crisis and upcoming sustainability events
Plus the hottest links and articles this week >>>
Global News
All the news from this week you may have missed
UK has ‘lost’ global climate leader status, say its own advisers >>>
Read the full report by the Climate Change Committee here >>>
Hybrid cars may soon be banned to help meet emission reduction targets >>>
New Carbon Offset Rules Aim to Clean Up Company Climate Claims >>>
Deforestation surges despite pledges >>>
UN to unmask fossil fuel lobbyists at climate talks >>>
Barbados PM fights for a shake-up of global climate finance >>>
UK to set up new Mediterranean-style specialist units >>>
Role Of AI In Creating A Sustainable Future >>>
Why the way fashion talks about sustainability needs to change >>>
Startup Life
Updates on recent investments, breakthroughs and opportunities for startups
Last chance to apply for the AWS Climate Tech Accelerator
From biodegradable bags to carbon capture: Bupa funds 18 sustainability-focussed startups >>>
Meet Germany’s new unicorn: Climate tech startup 1KOMMA5° secures €430M >>>
Ethiopian Green Construction Startup Secures $3.34M Seed Funding >>>
Exclusive: Innova Memphis raises $40m to bring the rural US ‘innovations farmers actually want’ >>>
How GenAI can actually help achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals >>>
Deep tech startup DePoly announces $13.8 million seed round as it tackles plastics recycling challenge >>>
Residential solar startup Glowb secures £1.2 million in first funding round >>>
Omnivore raises $150M as first close of third fund - exceeding target >>>
Spotlight: Greenwashing
Everyone wants to be green.
It sells, it looks good, and most importantly it's the right thing to do. So when marketing a product that has a green angle on it, why not talk about it?! It's silly not to focus on that area, right?
Well, no. New EU regulations are cracking down on greenwashing, and it's more strict than you may think. Even "green startups" and impact founders need to watch out for this one. Just because you are trying really hard to be eco-friendly, it doesn't mean you are free to make any sort of claim. You need to be transparent about the faults of your product, only make claims you can back up, and watch out for irrelevant terms.
Check out the "7 sins greenwashing" and some examples below (according to TerraChoice):
1. Hidden Trade-offs: A claim suggesting that a product is green based on a narrow set of attributes without attention to other important environmental issues.
For example, Starbucks went straw free in 2019, but the lids that replaced straws had more plastic in them overall compared to the previous lid and straw combination. 🤢.
2. No Proof: An environmental claim not substantiated by easily accessible supporting information or by a reliable third-party certification. Don't talk about anything unless you can prove it, basically 📁. And even if you can prove it, watch out - are there any hidden trade-offs? Is it the lesser of two evils? Be careful 😇.
3. Vagueness: A claim that is so poorly defined or broad that its real meaning is likely to be misunderstood by the consumer. "Recyclable" - where can it be recycled? How many times before it has to go to a landfill? Can the whole thing be recycled? Has it previously been recycled? Be specific.
4. False Labels: A product that, through either words or images, gives the impression of third-party endorsement where no such endorsement exists; fake labels, in other words. ♻️🌿
5. Irrelevance: An environmental claim that may be truthful but is unimportant or unhelpful for consumers seeking environmentally preferable products. CFC-free fridges are a common example 🚫 - CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) are banned under the Montreal Protocol, so of course they're going to be CFC-free.
6. Lesser of Two Evils: A claim that may be true within the product category but that risks distracting the consumer from the greater environmental impacts of the category as a whole. "Carbon-neutral" plastic vape, anyone? 😤
7. Lying: Do brands genuinely think they can get away with making up a completely false claim about their product being environmentally friendly? Well er.. actually yes they can, that's exactly why these regulations are being brought in. Time to switch up!