Claims a product is sustainable based on one attribute but ignores equally or more important issues.

Example:

- Plastic-free items with a worse environmental footprint

- Bamboo grown through monoculture

- "Soy-based" ink is generally only composed of 6-8% soy

Sustainability claims that cannot be easily verified.

Example:

- “Responsibly sourced” with no additional information or verification

Buzzwords that are not backed by any standard.

Examples:

- Green

- Natural

- Non-toxic

- Clean

- Humane

- Sustainable

- Eco-friendly

- Cage-free

Logos made to look like a third-party standard but are not backed by any. 

A product with a lower environmental impact in its sector, but a larger impact compared to alternative sectors.

Examples:

- Incinerator gasses can be converted to energy, but they still release GHG and harmful chemicals

- “Clean burning natural gas” still emits greenhouse gasses

A true but unimportant claim for seeking environmentally-preferred products

Example:

- “Contains no ozone layer-depleting CFCs” (CFCs were banned internationally in 1987)

- “non-GMO” blueberries (No commercially available GMO blueberries exist right now)

- “Gluten-free” grapes (Gluten is in cereal grain)

Part of a broader movement by industries and some companies to spread disinformation and lobby for self-interest. Tobacco, agriculture, and fossil fuel industries are most famous for this.

Examples: 

- Dummy corporations: Entity that exists as a cover for one or more companies

- Reputation laundering: Conceals unethical behavior by displaying positive actions to boost reputation

- Disinformation: Deliberately spreading false information

- Astroturfing: Faking grassroots or widespread support of a movement

- Buying out a sustainable brand by a corporate company