Greenwashing Children

Barbie has been an icon for decades and while Mattel has previously been criticized for inventing a doll that promotes unhealthy beauty ideals, they are now being accused of greenwashing ever since the release of the eco-friendly Barbie BCause line. The new accessories for Barbie, released in April, are said to be environmentally-friendly because they're made of recycled parts and scrap material

"Barbie is always a reflection of current cultural trends and issues, and girls are increasingly aware of making a green statement," said Richard Dickson, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Media and Entertainment, Worldwide, Mattel Brands. "Barbie BCause is for eco-conscious girls who believe that being environmentally-friendly is the right thing to do, and we are thrilled to give extra meaning and extra style to what was once just extra Barbie doll fabric."

Following the launch of the press release, there were a lot of negative feelings expressed by bloggers.

Jen Phillips wrote on Blue Marble that it's "pretty ironic given that Barbie dolls themselves are made out of plastic and are packaged in even more plastic, and not the kind of plastic you can throw in the recycling bin, either."

Jennifer Lance from Eco Play wrote, "The eco-conscious young girls I know of steer clear of Barbie,” she wrote. “Truly green families will not be fooled by Mattel's greenwashing."
as well as the release of videos like the one embedded in this post.