Business Greenwashing: Methods for Customers to Identify Deception

This assignment analyzes a BBC News article that outlines methods for customers to identify business greenwashing, a practice where companies falsely present their products or practices as environmentally friendly. The article highlights the issue of carbon offsetting, where businesses attempt to balance their emissions by investing in projects that remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, a practice that environmental groups view with skepticism. The assignment uses the CARP (Currency, Authority, Relevance, Purpose) template to evaluate the source's credibility, determining that the article, written by Beth Timmins, a business reporter for BBC News, is current, authoritative, relevant to the topic, and presents an objective viewpoint, making it a reliable source for understanding greenwashing tactics.

The present article has taken out information about the methods by which customers could easily identify
busineess greenwashing. Greenwashing is the term which defines the process something is branded as
sustainable or green when in real it is not. This misleads the customers into thinking they are assisting the
planet by selecting those items or products. One of the ways is looking out for carbon offsetting. Businesses
could attempt to to balance their emissions by searching ways for removing greenhouse gases from the
atmosphere. This procedure is carbon offsetting. Environmental group has said that this is the main problem
it could turn into worst situation in future.
A1 - CARP Template - Use this template to evaluate your source of information
Title: Climate change: Seven ways to spot
businesses greenwashing
Is this journal newspaper
book
Currency
When was the information published or
posted?
8th November
Has the information been revised or
updated? When?
No, the data is not revised.
Does your topic require current
information, or will older sources work as
well?
The older sources will also work for the current
topic.
Websites – are the links functional? Yes, the link is functional.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-59119693
Authority
Who is the author/creator? Beth Timmins is the writer of the present
topic's article.
What are their credentials? Are they
qualified to write about this topic? Can
they be contacted?
Beth Timmins has completed education in
writing Dphil. This author is well-qualified for
writing because the author is designated as
business reporter within BBC News.
Yes, they could be contacted through social
media platforms.
Are they affiliated with any groups or
organizations?
Yes, they are affiliated with the organisation and
the organisation is BBC News.
Who is the publisher or sponsor? BBC News
Relevance & Reliability
Does the information relate to your topic
or help answer your question?
Yes
Is the information at the appropriate level
for your research?
Yes
Who is the intended audience? Customers
Where does the information come from?
Does the author provide references or
sources?
The writer has recorded data from BBC news.
Has the information been reviewed or
refereed? By whom?
No
Do you feel comfortable using this source
in your research? Would your teacher
accept it?
Yes, I was comfortable while considering this
source.

Purpose/Point of View
What is the information meant to do to the
reader?
Inform, teach, sell, entertain,
persuade?
organisation (but what kind of
organisation are they?)
The present information is taken out this certain
source for making customers way about the
methods for understanding businesses
greenwashing.
Does the author or sponsor clearly state
their intentions or purpose?
Yes, the author is quite clearly stated the purpose.
Is the information fact or opinion?
Propaganda?
The information is fact.
Does the point of view seem to be
objective and impartial?
Yes, it is impartial and objective.
What biases might the author or sponsor
have?
Political, ideological, cultural,
religious, institutional, personal?
It can be personal.
Are there any ads? How do they relate to
the topic being covered?
No this sources does not have any ads.
Websites – what does the URL and/or
domain tell you about the purpose?
Examples: .com – commercial; .gov –
government; .org –organisation
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-59119693
The URL and domain of the present article tells
that it is related to commercial.
Write some summarising statements here for your source of information to explain why you would (or would not)
recommend this source of information.
Currency It is being determined from the above assembled information that it is
recently published on 8 November. So, it highlights that it is very recent
article. This source would be very helpful and useful because the website is
operative.
Authority Beth Timmins is the writer of present selected source. The writer is highly
competent and operate as one of the reporters of BBC News. So, it
highlights that this source is quite great to knowing the information about
spotting greenswashing in the brands or companies.
Relevance &
Reliability
The data given in the source is quite appropriate to the topic. Customers are
one of the significant people for the topic because by this they could easily
spot greenwashing. The data is reliable and relevant as it is is directly taken
out from BBC News.
Purpose/Point of
View
The data in this article makes customers ware about the way they could
select brands to contribute for making environment more stable and
pollution free. The data is also depend upon facts so it is real and factual.