I listened to the McCourtney Institute Democracy Works podcast episode “Cassidy Hutchinson on What Comes After January 6th”, which consists of an interview with Miss. Hutchinson regarding her time within the Trump administration and her new beliefs and perceived role concerning the future of the American government. I thought that the background Hutchinson provides for her young interest in civic issues, presidential debates, and political parties was extremely interesting, as it is not particularly common for someone so young to be as interested in political discourse as she was. Her discussion of her family environment and the attitudes in her home towards the government and active political figures were extremely interesting to me, for as a political science student the roots of party identity development and political polarization are critical to a comprehensive understanding of American government. 

In particular, Hutchinson’s discussion of her attraction and later repulsion to the Republican Party was extremely intriguing, as she was drawn in based upon her family background and the ideologies she was surrounded with regarding the role of government and the importance of classic family values. This is an idea that extends far beyond Hutchinson, but it is an insightful point within the discussion that she asserts that the Republican Party of today is wholly different than when she had originally invested in the ideals t represented. This disillusionment and dissection of the Republican Party into something that even Republicans see as divorced from the original party intentions is incredibly fascinating to me, as while we certainly see increased levels of political polarization and an “othering” of those outside of one’s party, this phenomenon can also be seen within individual parties as groups diverge into more extremist factions. The piece of the interview that most closely relates to Hutchinson’s latest book “Enough” is how her values and moral beliefs eventually came into great conflict with the Trump administration, and throughout the interview, she characterizes the former president as a “seducer” of Washington and the nation who essentially drew people into his conspiracies by playing on their fears, anxieties, and already polarizing views of those with values different from their own. In my opinion, Hutchinson’s discussion of her experience in coming forward with the lies, betrayals, and abuses of power that occurred surrounding January 6th was extremely poignant, as she conveys the situation as not a bitter rivalry of herself against the Republican Party, but a moral crossroads between what she was told was the truth and what she knew to be morally correct. 

Miss Hutchinson’s outlook on democracy and public service was, in my opinion, incredibly admirable, as even within her initial work on Capitol Hill, she applied for essentially every political party and office she could when researching internships and employment opportunities, and she believed that working for the government should not be a partisan career, rather one focused on serving the country as a whole, regardless of party affiliation. She addresses this idea towards the end of the podcast, as she asserts that political tribalism is essentially a step towards the death of democracy, as partisan politics, belief systems, and individual values intersect in a way that should not be diminished by pitting people against each other in two political groups. I firmly agree with Hutchinson’s outlook on the future of democracy, as political polarization, increasing political extremism within the media, and the othering of those with differing opinions is ultimately the catalyst for a complete break down of democracy. 

I attended a lecture by Professor Eric King Watts, an Associate Professor of Communications at Wake Forest University, regarding ideas presented within his new book “Post-Racial Fantasies and Zombies: On the Racist Apocalyptic Politics Devouring the World”. While the lecture was fascinating and provided a new lens to the zombie apocalypse genre that I had never considered, the material was incredibly dense and somewhat difficult to understand. Therefore, in this reflection, I am going to attempt to summarize and digest the material that Professor Watts presented so that I and others may be able to better understand it. 

Professor Watts begins the lecture by highlighting how a clip from the show Family Feud sparked his research, as in one episode, the participants are presented with the category “Name Something You Know About Zombies” and a white woman impulsively rings in and responds with “black”. Watts analyzes the nature of the program and asserts that the competitive pacing prevented the woman from truly thinking about her response, allowing him to establish that people see some inherent connection between zombies and race. He then establishes that his narrative frames a “post-racial” period in which racism is simultaneously very present, but seemingly less apparent in that certain post-racial fantasies are hidden within popular culture and bring racism into a whole new era within a greater cultural system. 

The example that stood out most to me was a scene that Professor Watts presented from the popular show The Walking Dead, where a white male named Merril beats up a black character named T-Dog for no apparent reason apart from Merril’s blatant racism and clear distaste towards black Americans. Contrastingly, Rick, a white police officer, comes to the defense of T-Dog and asserts that they must work together and abandon racial groups to best combat the active threat of the zombie apocalypse. Professor Watts then explains that Merril is representative of the active white supremacy movements within the post-racial world, as even in a situation where race does not matter as much as survival, Merril persists in his racist ideologies. On the other hand, Rick represents another figure in the post-racial world, as he advocates for a sort of colorblindness that will not truly resolve any of the racial conflicts within society, a fallacy represented by many “do-good” politicians in the current government. 

After establishing the tropes of individuals within the post-racial system, Professor Watts lays out a series of post-racial fantasies that are a reactionary response to growing racial tolerance and acceptance within America, such as the zombie trope of blackened biothreat bodies, rituals of securitization and weaponization, a need for the reclamation of white masculine sovereignty, and the idea that racism injects itself into black Americans until it burrows in like a mutant zombie virus and explodes. I enjoyed the depth of Professor Watts’ discussion of racial tensions in the modern world and thought that his connection of the zombie apocalypse genre to the current post-racial state of America was incredibly insightful. In my interpretation, the zombie is essentially a representation of abjection and enslavement, where individuality and personality are abandoned, human nature is compacted to primal functions, and the individual is eaten alive by the virus surrounding them. The historical connection of slavery and the horrific abuse black Americans suffered under systems of colonialism and colonization can certainly be connected to the idea of turning humans into zombies and represents a clear disparity of treatment of individuals within America.

The Profit of Deception: The Impacts of Unregulated Greenwashing on American Consumers and the Environment

Introduction

In the summer of 2018, a new sustainability trend began to sweep the food industry on an international scale, as corporations discarded their stockpiles of plastic straws in exchange for “eco-friendly” paper straws (Houck). As paper straws continually replaced plastic straws, they were touted as a far more sustainable method of beverage consumption. In 2021, with a growing recognition of the environmental costs of many popular products, consumers searches for sustainable brands had risen by almost 400% in 5 years, with 72% of customers wanting more sustainability information to be available about brands and their products (Akepa). Though plastic straws are certainly identified as a large source of waste, with Americans alone using over 500 million plastic straws a day (Smith), as it turns out, paper straws may not be much better. In 2023, the negative elements of paper straw usage were exposed, as “Long-lasting “forever chemicals,” which are potentially harmful to people, wildlife and the environment, were found in 18 out of 20 brands of paper straws, Belgian researchers found” (Media/dpa). Additionally, according to BBC “much like plastic straws, paper straws typically can’t be recycled and an assessment by the UK government also concluded that paper straws emit more greenhouse gases when they rot in landfill compared with plastic” (Hirschlag). 

Advertising commending paper straw manufacturers, as well as corporations incorporating paper products over plastic such as Starbucks (Deena), are thus employing an increasingly prevalent marketing scheme targeted towards environmentally conscious consumers known as “greenwashing”. Greenwashing is a deceptive advertising strategy in which corporations promote products as environmentally safe or even beneficial without evidence to support those claims, often seeking to conceal a corporations unsavory environmentally damaging practices (Hayes). According to international environmental traceability monitoring agencies, paired with an increasing consumer desire for sustainable products, the amount of environmentally friendly labels could grow by 66% in the next 15 years, and currently “42% of companies sustainability credentials are exaggerated, false, or deceptive” (TE-Food). In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is responsible for combating the issue of greenwashing, yet currently only provides general principles on environmental marketing claims, suggestions for how claims should be substantiated for proper interpretation, and guidelines for corporations to decrease customer deception (Staff in the Office of Technology). 

Despite a growing international movement to halt the spread of greenwashing, with many European nations banning the practice altogether, the FTC is currently behind, with the “Green Guides” last update taking place in 2012 (Kertscher). However, in 2023, the FTC stated that in recognition of an uptick in greenwashing and deceptive advertising, it will be updating the “Green Guides”, incorporating an increasing pile of evidence of greenwashing and more fact-based guidelines for marketing. While these claims represent a movement towards increasing consumer protections, the FTC should seek to implement harsher regulations with realistic consequences in order to truly combat the deceptive nature of greenwashing and the detrimental effect that false marketing practices will have on both American consumers and the environment.

Concerns for American Consumers:

• Taking advantage of goodwill to increase profits – green products can be marketed at a higher price
• Toxic chemicals/false health initiatives within the food industry 
• List examples of greenwashing corporations here: McDonalds, other fast-food industry tycoons, cereals, etc.

The Redirection of Blame Towards Consumers 

• The idea that by purchasing eco-friendly products customers can “help” the environment, insinuating that it is the customers job to protect the environment, not the corporations
• Carbon footprint calculators were literally invented by British Petroleum (BP)
• “natural” packaging and images utilized in product advertisement to entice customers to “take a stand” and help the environment, by buying products from companies that do nothing to help the environment

Concerns for the Environment:

• Misguided and unsubstantiated eco-friendly claims and practices ultimately cause further harms to the environment, paper/plastic straw example – unsustainable alternatives being presented as environmentally friendly
• Greenwashing acts as a means for companies to negate their harm to the environment: Coca-Cola example, Starbucks example, Volkswagen example, etc.  

Connection to Human Rights Violations, deforestation, animal endangerment, etc

• many brands that claim to be environmentally friendly in terms of their products and marketing have wildly irresponsible environmental practices
• connection to PolitiFact Article referencing EU regulations to highlight other nations recognition of these issues
  • use this paragraph to highlight other nations that have banned greenwashing to transition to next paragraph

The Unprotected Status of American Consumers

• https://medium.com/@marketdemandandtrends/the-biggest-lies-told-by-processed-food-industries-1552d112d203#:~:text=Portion%20Distortion%3A,they%20are%20making%20healthier%20choices. – discussing the idea of “natural” products being advertised as better for consumers and the environment – this is a lie – lack of standardization is the largest issue here which the FTC must combat

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonmcgowan/2024/01/23/eu-greenwashing-law-is-warning-to-us-companies-to-be-diligent-in-environmental-claims/?sh=eb7050c109d7 – link to website about EU laws banning greenwashing, where is this protection for American consumers? – boosts exigence

Conclusion – why the FTC ultimately must enforce and create actionable regulations rather than non-binding guidelines

Works Cited

Akepa. “Greenwashing in Marketing & How to Spot It.” The Sustainable Agency, 6 July 2023, thesustainableagency.com/blog/greenwashing-in-marketing-and-how-to-spot-it/. 

Hayes, Adam. “What Is Greenwashing? How It Works, Examples, and Statistics.” Investopedia, Investopedia, 22 Jan. 2024, www.investopedia.com/terms/g/greenwashing.asp. 

Hirschlag, Ally. “Plastic or Paper? The Truth About Drinking Straws.” BBC News, BBC, 7 Nov. 2023, www.bbc.com/future/article/20231103-plastic-or-paper-the-truth-about-drinking-straws#. 

Houck, Brenna. “Why the World Is Hating on Plastic Straws Right Now.” Eater, Vox Media, 12 July 2018, www.eater.com/2018/7/12/17555880/plastic-straws-environment-pollution-banned-alternatives-ocean-sea-turtle-viral-video. 

Kertscher, Tom. “Red Light on ‘Greenwashing’? US Regulatory Agency Takes Fresh Look at Deceptive Climate Claims.” PolitiFact, Poynter Institute, 17 July 2023, www.politifact.com/article/2023/jul/17/red-light-on-greenwashing-us-regulatory-agency-tak/. 

Media/dpa, PA. “Study: Paper Straws Might Not Be Better than Plastic for Environment.” The Seattle Times, The Seattle Times Company, 25 Aug. 2023, www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/study-paper-straws-might-not-be-better-than-plastic-for-environment/. 

Robinson, Deena. “10 Companies Called out for Greenwashing.” Earth.Org, 4 Mar. 2024, earth.org/greenwashing-companies-corporations/. 

Smith, Ernie. “A Brief History of the Modern-Day Straw, the World’s Most Wasteful Commodity.” Atlas Obscura, Atlas Obscura, 19 Sept. 2017, www.atlasobscura.com/articles/straws-history. 

Staff in the Office of Technology. “Green Guides.” Federal Trade Commission, United States Government, 16 July 2021, www.ftc.gov/news-events/topics/truth-advertising/green-guides. 

Te-Food. “Soon, Traceability-Washing Will Become a New Trend  –  How Can We Avoid It?” Medium, TE-FOOD, 11 Oct. 2022, medium.com/te-food/soon-traceability-washing-will-become-a-new-trend-how-can-we-avoid-it-86c56bd62175.

Greenwashing: The Profit of Deception

Introduction

In the summer of 2018, a new sustainability trend began to sweep the food industry on an international scale, as corporations discarded their stockpiles of plastic straws in exchange for “eco-friendly” paper straws (Houck). As paper straws continually replaced plastic straws, they were touted as a far more sustainable method of beverage consumption. In 2021, with a growing recognition of the environmental costs of many popular products, consumers searches for sustainable brands had risen by almost 400% in 5 years, with 72% of customers wanting more sustainability information to be available about brands and their products (Akepa). Though plastic straws are certainly identified as a large source of waste, with Americans alone using over 500 million plastic straws a day (Smith), as it turns out, paper straws may not be much better. In 2023, the negative elements of paper straw usage were exposed, as “Long-lasting “forever chemicals,” which are potentially harmful to people, wildlife and the environment, were found in 18 out of 20 brands of paper straws, Belgian researchers found” (Media/dpa). Additionally, according to BBC “much like plastic straws, paper straws typically can’t be recycled and an assessment by the UK government also concluded that paper straws emit more greenhouse gases when they rot in landfill compared with plastic” (Hirschlag). 

Advertising commending paper straw manufacturers, as well as corporations incorporating paper products over plastic such as Starbucks (Deena), are thus employing an increasingly prevalent marketing scheme targeted towards environmentally conscious consumers known as “greenwashing”. Greenwashing is a deceptive advertising strategy in which corporations promote products as environmentally safe or even beneficial without evidence to support those claims, often seeking to conceal a corporations unsavory environmentally damaging practices (Hayes). According to international environmental traceability monitoring agencies, paired with an increasing consumer desire for sustainable products, the amount of environmentally friendly labels could grow by 66% in the next 15 years, and currently “42% of companies sustainability credentials are exaggerated, false, or deceptive” (TE-Food). In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is responsible for combating the issue of greenwashing, and is meant to provide general principles on environmental marketing claims, suggestions for how claims should be substantiated for proper interpretation, and guidelines for corporations to decrease customer deception (Staff in the Office of Technology). 

Despite a growing international movement to halt the spread of greenwashing, with many European nations banning the practice altogether, the FTC is currently behind, with the “Green Guides” last update taking place in 2012 (Kertscher). However, in 2023, the FTC stated that in recognition of an uptick in greenwashing and deceptive advertising, it will be updating the “Green Guides”, incorporating an increasing pile of evidence of greenwashing and more fact-based guidelines for marketing. While these claims represent a movement towards increasing consumer protections, the FTC should seek to implement harsher regulations with realistic consequences in order to combat the deceptive nature of greenwashing and the detrimental effect that false marketing practices will have on both American consumers and the environment.

 

Works Cited

Akepa. “Greenwashing in Marketing & How to Spot It.” The Sustainable Agency, 6 July 2023, thesustainableagency.com/blog/greenwashing-in-marketing-and-how-to-spot-it/. 

Hayes, Adam. “What Is Greenwashing? How It Works, Examples, and Statistics.” Investopedia, Investopedia, 22 Jan. 2024, www.investopedia.com/terms/g/greenwashing.asp. 

Hirschlag, Ally. “Plastic or Paper? The Truth About Drinking Straws.” BBC News, BBC, 7 Nov. 2023, www.bbc.com/future/article/20231103-plastic-or-paper-the-truth-about-drinking-straws#. 

Houck, Brenna. “Why the World Is Hating on Plastic Straws Right Now.” Eater, Vox Media, 12 July 2018, www.eater.com/2018/7/12/17555880/plastic-straws-environment-pollution-banned-alternatives-ocean-sea-turtle-viral-video. 

Kertscher, Tom. “Red Light on ‘Greenwashing’? US Regulatory Agency Takes Fresh Look at Deceptive Climate Claims.” PolitiFact, Poynter Institute, 17 July 2023, www.politifact.com/article/2023/jul/17/red-light-on-greenwashing-us-regulatory-agency-tak/. 

Media/dpa, PA. “Study: Paper Straws Might Not Be Better than Plastic for Environment.” The Seattle Times, The Seattle Times Company, 25 Aug. 2023, www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/study-paper-straws-might-not-be-better-than-plastic-for-environment/. 

Robinson, Deena. “10 Companies Called out for Greenwashing.” Earth.Org, 4 Mar. 2024, earth.org/greenwashing-companies-corporations/. 

Smith, Ernie. “A Brief History of the Modern-Day Straw, the World’s Most Wasteful Commodity.” Atlas Obscura, Atlas Obscura, 19 Sept. 2017, www.atlasobscura.com/articles/straws-history. 

Staff in the Office of Technology. “Green Guides.” Federal Trade Commission, United States Government, 16 July 2021, www.ftc.gov/news-events/topics/truth-advertising/green-guides. 

Te-Food. “Soon, Traceability-Washing Will Become a New Trend  –  How Can We Avoid It?” Medium, TE-FOOD, 11 Oct. 2022, medium.com/te-food/soon-traceability-washing-will-become-a-new-trend-how-can-we-avoid-it-86c56bd62175.