When walking down the supermarket aisle, have you noticed products making such claims as 100% natural” shampoo? But how many of these claims are truly legitimate? With sustainability fast becoming a marketing buzzword, it’s increasingly difficult for consumers, especially young people, to separate fact from fiction. This is where media literacy comes in.

As Australian educators, we’re in a prime position to teach students how to evaluate green claims critically. By equipping them with tools to spot greenwashing — when companies make themselves appear more environmentally responsible than they really are — we help them become informed consumers and thoughtful citizens in a climate-conscious world.

Greenwashing is the practice of making exaggerated, vague, or even false environmental claims to make a product or company seem more sustainable. It’s a marketing tactic used to appeal to growing public concern about the environment without the company necessarily doing the hard work to reduce its actual impact.

For example, a product may bear the label "biodegradable" without specifying its breakdown time or conditions. An energy company might promote its solar investments with advertising, even if most of its operations and profits still come from fossil fuels. These messages may look and sound green, but they can mislead people and delay meaningful environmental action.

Greenwashing isn’t just a problem overseas. We’re seeing it right here at home, across a range of industries.

Consider the case of Santos, which is one of Australia’s major fossil fuel companies. In 2023, the Australian Conservation Foundation filed a complaint with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), arguing that Santos misled the public by labelling natural gas as a "clean fuel." Critics said that the company downplayed the full climate impact of gas, especially when emissions from extraction and consumption are considered.

The fashion industry is another repeat offender. Some Australian and international brands promote collections labelled as "sustainable," but they provide little evidence to support these claims. They may use a small percentage of recycled material but market entire ranges as “eco-conscious,” misleading consumers into thinking their purchases are having a meaningful environmental impact.

Our supermarket giants aren’t immune. Both Coles and Woolworths have made bold commitments to reduce plastic waste, but investigations have revealed continued overpackaging, including on items advertised as “green” or “environmentally friendly.”

Media literacy encompasses more than merely identifying fake news; it involves teaching students to analyse the purpose, construction, and impact of all media messages. When it comes to greenwashing, media literacy empowers young people to ask key questions: Who created this message? What are they trying to get me to believe or buy? And is there any evidence to support their claim?

By embedding media literacy into our teaching, we help students:

- Understand the difference between genuine sustainability and superficial claims

- Recognise green marketing tactics that may be misleading

- Develop lifelong critical thinking skills they can apply across disciplines

Australia is already experiencing the impacts of climate change, such as more frequent bushfires, extreme weather events, and ecological changes in the Great Barrier Reef and other regions. In this context, the ability to understand and evaluate environmental claims is more important than ever. We often tell students to care about the environment as they grow up, but we frequently provide them with misleading solutions. By teaching them to look deeper, we empower them to make truly informed decisions and engage more actively in climate conversations. Although some may view greenwashing as clever, it is not harmless. It can undermine real progress, confuse consumers, and create cynicism around legitimate climate efforts. That’s why media literacy is more than a classroom skill: it’s a form of climate resilience

Feeling inspired by this blog? Our annual conference, Sustainable Skills 2025, is on Friday, the 6th of June, at the PCEC. Tickets on sale now.