Look Out, There're 'Greenwashers' About!

'Greenwashing is rampant in the US (and elsewhere). Major offenders include fossil fuel companies, agribusinesses and major food producers. Such companies often spend billions of dollars, exaggerating their environmental 'credentials'. They routinely (and deliberately?) make misleading statements about their product's carbon neutrality, carbon offsetting, 'naturalness', 'renewablability', 'recyclability' and/or its 'organic' nature. The scale of deception is indicated by, a 2022 Harvard University study, revealing that more than 70% of social media posts, by US oil and gas companies, contained some form of greenwash. This is neither good for the concerned consumer, who wants to make an informed choice or the environment. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is taking action, by updating its 2012 'Green Guides' (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/04/federal-trade-commission-industry-recycle-regulation). FTC 'Green Guides' are advisory for companies but are often used to strengthen legal cases against polluters, when they violate Federal law. Deceptive marketing should be vigorously punished by regulatory authorities throughout the world. It's effectively a form of criminality by many big businesses. Consumers have to be able to believe what companies tell them, as they are generally in no position to check claims.