Kyle C. Garrison

Sustainability has moved from niche to mainstream. That shift has spawned both genuine corporate transformation and clever marketing that paints ordinary business as environmentally responsible. Distinguishing authentic sustainability from “green marketing” — often called greenwashing — is essential for consumers, investors, procurement professionals, and regulators. This article gives practical criteria, examples, data-driven checks, and action steps to separate credible claims from spin.How genuine green marketing differs from greenwashingGreen marketing is any communication that suggests an environmental benefit. Greenwashing occurs when those communications mislead about the scale, relevance, or veracity of the benefit.Common forms:Imprecise or loosely defined wording: Expressions such as…

Uncertainty—whether from financial crises, pandemics, geopolitical clashes, or sudden technological change—creates pressures that push governments and voters toward protectionist policies. Protectionism surfaces as a response to fear, political incentives, and strategic calculation. This article explains the forces that revive protectionism in bad times, illustrates them with historical and recent cases, examines economic mechanisms and consequences, and outlines policy options that can reduce the temptation to retreat behind trade barriers.Historical trends and recent instancesProtectionism is not a modern anomaly. The 1930s Smoot-Hawley tariffs are the classic example: the United States raised tariffs in an effort to shield domestic producers, while global…