Your Favorite Brand Just Planted a Tree. Is It Greenwashing?

Sustainability is one of the most powerful marketing tools of the 21st century. Brands now advertise recycled packaging, carbon-neutral products, tree-planting campaigns, eco-friendly collections, net-zero pledges, and climate-conscious choices. But not every green claim means the same thing. Some claims reflect real changes in how a product is made, while others highlight a small positive action to distract from larger environmental harms. This session will teach students how to critically examine sustainability claims made by familiar brands. Using real examples from fashion, food, energy, and consumer goods, they will practise asking evidence-based questions to understand these sustainability claims.