Recognizing Greenwashing
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Provide a (real-life) example of greenwashing or a company that is (presumably) engaging in greenwashing. The students will then be given a newspaper article about a greenwashing incident and will work with it.
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Description
Objective: The goal of this worksheet is to enable students to independently identify and critically examine manipulative marketing strategies in retail. Using a specific case study, they will develop the theoretical foundation needed to distinguish between genuine sustainability promises and deliberate consumer deception, so they can make informed, independent consumer decisions in their daily lives.
Content and Methods: The content focuses on the definition and strategic characteristics of greenwashing, its psychological impact, and an analysis of legal consequences. Methodologically, the worksheet combines an image-based case analysis with in-depth journalistic text analysis. A video-based summary of theoretical categories of deception and a practical, criteria-based checklist serve to reinforce knowledge and facilitate active application to students’ own consumer behavior.
Competencies:
Analytical Competence: Students can systematically deconstruct visual design elements, price placements, and advertising messages in digital user interfaces.
Substantive Competence: They understand the definition of the technical term “greenwashing” and can distinguish between vague marketing phrases and verifiable sustainability labels.
Critical thinking skills: Students are able to critically evaluate the discrepancy between corporate sustainability reports and actual environmental impacts.
Reflective thinking skills: They can critically examine their own susceptibility to manipulative sales strategies and identify alternative courses of action.
Target audience and grade level: Intermediate (8th-10th grade)