BY CAITLYN JONSSON
Climate activist group Extinction Rebellion NYC launched a new campaign on November 10th to expose the deceptive practices of greenwashing, which involves companies misleading consumers by falsely promoting their products or practices as environmentally friendly. For example, the food and beverage manufacturer Nestlé has faced scrutiny for greenwashing after they released a statement claiming 100% recyclable packaging by 2025, without clarity on their timeline, targets, or data.
In the launch of their campaign, Extinction Rebellion NYC gathered climate activists, organizers, and community members on Sunday at Knosis Physiotherapy Wellness in Manhattan. Throughout the meeting, the activists emphasized the urgent need to hold corporations and governments accountable for their environmental claims in a time of escalating climate crisis. According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, global carbon dioxide emissions rise roughly 1% each year. “We believe that going after greenwashing supports climate activism throughout the world,” said activist and organizer Matthew Menzies.
Extinction Rebellion, also known as XR, was founded in 2018 by UK climate activist Gayle Bradbrook, motivated by government inaction in the face of growing scientific evidence on climate change. The organization uses nonviolent civil disobedience to gain media attention and pressure policy change for sustainability and the reduction of CO₂ emissions. In the past six years, the movement has expanded internationally into countries including the United States and Australia.
Legislation in New York State prohibits “certain unlawfully deceptive acts or practices involving environmental marketing claims.” Activists for XR NYC argue that though the state has begun addressing greenwashing, many anti-greenwashing regulations across the U.S. remain vague and lack enforcement. They say that this enables corporations to exploit loopholes and market products as environmentally friendly without the appropriate sustainability measures to sustain their claims.
As New York City is a global hub for the media and advertising industry, speakers at the event expressed hope that targeting greenwashing advertisements in the city could create a ripple effect throughout the country. “Organizations have convinced people that they are going green and that there is such a thing as green coal,” XR activist Lydia Woolley explained. This misinformation is part of a dangerous narrative crafted by fossil fuel interests and their PR firms, according to Woolley.
The campaign will target major advertising agencies and brands that market themselves as sustainable while supporting fossil fuel interests. By creating public scrutiny around greenwashing, XR argues that companies will find the practice more of a liability than a benefit. Woolley hopes that “the hassle of greenwashing in NYC becomes more trouble than it’s worth.”
Currently, the campaign is targeting the environmental consultant Salterbaxter, a business that they say creates misleading advertisements for environmentally harmful companies such as Ford, McDonald’s, and Nestlé. XR hopes that creating negative press for Salterbaxter through acts of protest will discourage business opportunities for the agency from major brands, thus decreasing their outreach.
Members of XR NYC highlighted that stronger greenwashing laws have been passed abroad, including Bill C-59 in Canada. According to the legislation, all businesses operating in Canada must comply with firm regulations and ensure their environmental claims are legally sound to avoid penalties. Menzies expressed hope that their new campaign will lead to similar bills being passed throughout the U.S.
XR’s vision includes holding government entities accountable for misleading the public on environmental issues. With the impending Trump presidency, Extinction Rebellion argued that their campaign aims to counter government actions that underplay the climate emergency. “The federal government is about to put out a ton of greenwashing lies,” stated Woolley, arguing that “they are manufacturing this idea that we can just let people do whatever they want.”