How greenwashed can you be? 
Revised on February 26, 2008.
There is no doubt that in the contemporary society, the media is flooded with facts and propaganda about increasing environmental concerns. Whether you believe them or not is irrelevant in this discussion, but how have they shaped your awareness and behavior? Do you believe that the claims on a product are true? Under the influence of various media exposing the issues of marketing dishonesty, it is hard to find anyone that blindly does. The fact that you are somewhat aware of what you’re consuming, you have already taken the necessary first steps in being a conscious consumer. What if it was exposed that the food you and your family consume is nourished by the acidic rain from industrial and vehicle emissions, or toxic chemicals decomposed into the soil originated from half way around the globe, should you then be concerned of the consequences and adverse health effects of your consumptions? The green culture is no longer only about forests and recycling, smog and pollution; it compromises with personal health and social wellbeing. The ethics and values of this aggregate, intricate society can hereby be called into question. Concerned about health care? This is where it should begin.
Greenwashing is a term to define misguidance and false accusation in the consumer market about broadcasted, but not actual, efforts on environmental practices. The color green in fact does not defy an interest in environmental responsibility; the label hybrid does not represent zero fossil fuel dependency. Do you believe that upon consuming an item that is labeled as green or environmentally friendly, that you are exempt from environmental responsibilities and obligations, leaving you to believe that you are morally guilt-free? Just how greenwashed can you be?
