What is Pinkwashing?
What is __?
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and with that comes a lot of companies selling products with pink packaging to display their support and allow customers to feel good for supporting a company that supports the fight against breast cancer. At least, that’s what the companies want consumers to think.
Pinkwashing is a term that was coined in 2002 by Breast Cancer Action (BCAction) who launched their nationally known and award-winning campaign Think Before You Pink. This is a campaign that works to call out pinkwashers and pink-ribbon cause marketing.
A pinkwasher, as defined by BCAction, is “a company or organization that claims to care about breast cancer by promoting a pink ribbon product, but at the same time produces, manufactures and/or sells products containing chemicals that are linked to the disease.”
In 2014 a study found 17 everyday chemicals that could be linked to breast cancer. CTVNews noted from the study,
“Some of the biggest sources of mammary carcinogens in the environment are benzene and butadiene, which can come from vehicle exhaust, lawn equipment, tobacco smoke and charred food.
“Other concerns are cleaning solvents like methylene chloride, pharmaceuticals used in hormone replacement therapy, some flame retardants, chemicals in stain-resistant textiles and nonstick coatings, and styrene which comes from tobacco smoke and is also used to make Styrofoam, the study said.”
Researchers have also said carcinogens can be found in drinking water.
The organization urges people to ask four questions before buying pink. These questions are:
Does any money from this purchase go to support breast cancer programs? How much?
What organization will get the money? What will they do with the funds, and how do these programs turn the tide of the breast cancer epidemic?
Is there a “cap” on the amount the company will donate? Has this maximum donation already been met? Can you tell?
Does this purchase put you or someone you love at risk for exposure to toxins linked to breast cancer? What is the company doing to ensure that its products are not contributing to the breast cancer epidemic?
The organization further urges people that if you have doubts about your pink ribbon purchase after reviewing these critical questions you should think before you spend your money on pink items; download a PDF of these critical questions; find out the real story behind where the pink ribbon came from; learn more about cause marketing and make a direct donation to Breast Cancer Action; write a letter asking the company to be transparent about its donations; and consider giving directly to a breast cancer organization whose work you believe is most essential to addressing the breast cancer epidemic.