Sustainable brainwashing: Greenwashing
Sustainable brainwashing:
Greenwashing
Name: Emiel van Ginhoven
Class: HT4
Student number: 502575
Name teacher: Philippa Collin
Word count: 984
Foreword
I owe the subject of my essay to the class: “Writing an argument”, for which I want to express my thanks. Having written this essay partially with joy, partially with frustration, the final result came into being with a little guidance of some of my friends. Having small debates about sustainable practice, finding interesting new sources and some pointers in concerns with subjectivity and sarcasm, to avoid them more than I did.
The author wishes the reader a pleasant intellectual venture.
Contents
Introduction
“Our product is green, 100% environmentally friendly and completely natural” (too many companies, 2014). That is a company worth investing in, you might think! Think again, the concept is greenwashing, its trade is deception and its tools are marketing and the people’s goodwill. The term greenwashing in this essay is used to describe a process where businesses pretend to be more socially responsible or green than they actually are. Companies must stop greenwashing and start actually transforming into a sustainable and responsible company. However companies could easily argue that businesses are there to make profits within the legal scope and they are doing just that, so the ball is kicked in the consumer’s court. But, consumers must be able to trust reliable data provision without being fooled. Arguments that support the thesis are that investment in sustainability will actually be rewarding to business and there is simply no future for greenwashing. However, it all starts with the businesses and their fuel: Money.
Main body
An argument from the corporate world in response to the thesis statement could be: Businesses are there to make profit, if the people don’t want to take responsibility for the decision to invest
Greenwashing
Name: Emiel van Ginhoven
Class: HT4
Student number: 502575
Name teacher: Philippa Collin
Word count: 984
Foreword
I owe the subject of my essay to the class: “Writing an argument”, for which I want to express my thanks. Having written this essay partially with joy, partially with frustration, the final result came into being with a little guidance of some of my friends. Having small debates about sustainable practice, finding interesting new sources and some pointers in concerns with subjectivity and sarcasm, to avoid them more than I did.
The author wishes the reader a pleasant intellectual venture.
Contents
Introduction
“Our product is green, 100% environmentally friendly and completely natural” (too many companies, 2014). That is a company worth investing in, you might think! Think again, the concept is greenwashing, its trade is deception and its tools are marketing and the people’s goodwill. The term greenwashing in this essay is used to describe a process where businesses pretend to be more socially responsible or green than they actually are. Companies must stop greenwashing and start actually transforming into a sustainable and responsible company. However companies could easily argue that businesses are there to make profits within the legal scope and they are doing just that, so the ball is kicked in the consumer’s court. But, consumers must be able to trust reliable data provision without being fooled. Arguments that support the thesis are that investment in sustainability will actually be rewarding to business and there is simply no future for greenwashing. However, it all starts with the businesses and their fuel: Money.
Main body
An argument from the corporate world in response to the thesis statement could be: Businesses are there to make profit, if the people don’t want to take responsibility for the decision to invest