Zero Waste Month Interview Series - Greenwashing: Sorting through the Claims

Welcome to the 2024 Zero Waste Month interview series!

In this interview, we discuss the problem of greenwashing, the intentional confusion it creates for consumers, and how we can sort through some of the claims to find products that are most closely aligned with zero waste and circular economy goals.

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Hayden Sloan of R20W is your host.

The expert interviewees are:

Kristine Kubat, Executive Director of Recycle Hawaii. She was born and raised in Eastern Pennsylvania and has lived in Hawaii for the past 40 years. She feels blessed to live in close proximity to her two children and five grandchildren on Hawaii Island, in Hilo. Kristine brings a lifetime of experience as an environmental and social justice activist to her current position as executive director for Recycle Hawaii. She spends her downtime making art, gardening and practicing yoga.

Ashleigh Hotz is the Director of Sales and Marketing at SmartSolve, where she specializes in navigating the complexities of sustainability claims in the packaging industry. With extensive experience as a marketing professional, Ashleigh has witnessed first-hand the rise of greenwashing, both from brands knowingly making misleading claims and from others simply trying to navigate the confusing landscape of sustainability. The discussions she has had with many brand owners and company stakeholders on their existing environmental commitments, along with the challenges they represent, has brought her hope for a future with greater support and innovation in the packaging industry. For this reason, she works to help brands avoid greenwashing by ensuring that all sustainability claims are backed by rigorous testing and certifications. Her expertise spans a range of industry standards, including home compostability (AS 5810-2010), biodegradability (OECD 301B), and flushability (FG502 Slosh Box, Disintegration Test, Pump Test, + more). Beyond her professional life, Ashleigh has been married for over 18 years, is a proud mother of three (one of whom serves in the U.S. Navy), and enjoys spending her free time gardening.

Jennifer Wendt began her career after receiving a degree in Chemistry working in environmental compliance, then shifted to municipal government with a focus on regional sustainability and solid waste management. Ms. Wendt joined MRCTI, an association of 100+ mayors of cities along the Mississippi River, in 2018 as the Plastic Waste Reduction Campaign Manager in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme – North America and the University of Georgia; the Mississippi River Plastic Pollution Initiative was created. While the initiative continues, plastic waste reduction projects have begun in multiple cities, including collaboration with communities, manufacturers, institutions, NGOs, and local government.