Welcome to the A Drop in the Ocean blog!

Every Monday we're popping into our EcoWarrior community's inboxes with practical + actionable tips for living more sustainably, and we're always working hard to add those emails to our blog as well. But we're a small team and sometimes we get behind because, hey, we're human.

So if you want these kinds of tips every week, without even leaving your inbox, join the EcoWarriors for Make Waves Mondays - because that's one thing we don't get behind on. Pinky promise.

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How to Spot Greenwashing: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide - A Drop in the Ocean Zero Waste Blog

I talk about greenwashing so much that I'm often asked if specific brands are greenwashing. So today, I’m walking you through the exact process that I use to determine whether a company or product is actually sustainable or greenwashing, or if they’re somewhere in between.

What is "green hushing"?

I learned a new term recently... Green hushing. Apparently, this term is nothing new. A quick Google search for the term yields a plethora of results, but this is a whole new world to me, and I thought it might be for you too. So let's talk about green hushing and why it may be the new corporate greenwashing.

A Drop in the Ocean Blog: How "closed loop" is becoming greenwashing

I stumbled across an ad for a skincare company that said their products are closed-loop refillable. So I went to their website and and I found a video explaining their so-called "closed-loop" refill system... And that's how I learned "closed loop" is becoming greenwashing. Here's what you need to know.

Plastic Neutral: Greenwashing or Actual Waste Solution?
There are some pretty major players in the "sustainable" and "zero waste" space that brag about being certified plastic neutral. But what does that really mean for sustainability? Is plastic neutral certification greenwashing, or is it an actual solution to our ocean waste problem?
How "Refillable" is Becoming a Greenwashing Term

I'm all fired up...🔥 Earlier today, a fairly well-known influencer in the sustainability space promoted and praised a brand for its refillability and how it cuts down on waste. But I've talked about how sustainability buzzwords can lead us down a path of greenwashing in the past, and this brand is a PRIME example. So let's talk about why it's so problematic and why I'm so fired up.

A Drop in the Ocean Zero Waste Blog: 22 Sustainability Buzzwords You Need to Know
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to tell the difference between a company that’s actually doing the work of being as sustainable as possible and a company that’s just slapped a green label on the box. But you're gonna be armed with this list of 22 sustainability buzzwords and what they mean so you can make the best decisions for you, for your family, and for the planet 💪
A Drop in the Ocean Why transparency is essential for sustainability

As a consumer, it can be so incredibly difficult to sort through what’s actually sustainable and what’s greenwashing. And I am always trying to help you cut through the noise to make the best choices for you and your family. I know that going up against greenwashing is just part of this job. I’ll step up to the big guys any day. But I neverever… imagined that it wouldn’t just be the big guys we’d have to watch out for.

How "green" are specialty recycling programs?
Specialty recycling programs like TerraCycle and Ridwell pick up the slack when it comes to hard-to-recycle items not accepted by our municipal recycling programs. When we're trying to live zero waste, this sounds like a great solution. But are these programs actually sustainable, or are they greenwashing us and letting corporations off the hook?
3 Ways to Spot Greenwashing
Greenwashing is rampant in marketing campaigns, and sometimes it's really hard to tell what's actually sustainable. So what exactly is greenwashing, and how can we spot it? Here are three of my go-to ways to spot greenwashing in the wild, plus how to hone your greenwashing-spotting skills.
A Drop in the Ocean Sustainable Living Zero Waste Plastic Free Blog Is bioplastic the answer we've been looking for?
"Greenwashing” is when companies spend more time and money making you think they’re doing something good for the planet than actually doing good for the planet. And there's one that I see so many well-meaning people fall into...