GREENWASHING: AN EAP LESSON

Krista Bittenbender Royal, University of South Florida

March 27, 2014 TESOL International Convention

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EAP 1851 @ USF’s ELP

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What is greenwashing?

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http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2009-07-14/

Source Material: Terra Choice www.sinsofgreenwashing.org

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The Seven Sins

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Example:

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What we do with it: • Vocabulary • Reading Comprehension • Rhetorical Analysis • Supplemental Listening (News Videos) • Application Tasks

– Greenwashing Examples & Name that Sin Game – Becoming an Evil Greenwasher

• Discussion – Own Experience & Reactions – Consequences & Solutions

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Vocabulary: Vocab Grabber from Visual Thesaurus

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http://www.visualthesaurus.com/vocabgrabber/

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Rhetorical Analysis

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Parody & Cultural Reference

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Rhetorical Appeals & Logical Fallacies

• Use of logos, pathos, and ethos – e.g., False labels appeal to ethos

(establishing credibility)

• Compare sins to logical fallacies – i.e., Hasty Generalization, Red

Herrings

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Application: Greenwashing Examples - Which Sin?

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Take BP, for example

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Application Activity: Become an Evil Greenwasher

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Props: Everyday items, that aren’t particularly “green”

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In groups: Greenwash the product, then present

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Discuss: Which Sins?

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And the “Winner” is…

Electronic Handout on ESLetc.com • Slideshow • PDF of Reading • My student handout with questions and tasks

– Links to website – Links to videos

• Application tasks – Student Handout: Analyze examples of

greenwashing – Teacher directions: “Become an Evil

Greenwasher”

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References & Image Credits TerraChoice. (2013). The Sins of Greenwashing: Home and Family Edition. Retrieved from http://sinsofgreenwashing.org/ Alfano, C. L., & Brien, A. J. (2011). Envision in Depth: Reading, Writing, and Researching Arguments (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson/Longman.

Image Credits: Slide 2 – Image 1 from http://elp.usf.edu & Image 2 from http://www.pearsonhighered.com/educator/product/Envision-In-Depth-Reading-Writing-and-Researching-Arguments/9780205758463.page

Slide 3 – Cartoon from http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2009-07-14/

Slide 4 – Image from http://blog.dgwb.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/7sins1.png

Slides 5-6: Screenshots from http://sinsofgreenwashing.org/findings/the-seven-sins/index.html

Slides 8-9: Screenshots from http://www.visualthesaurus.com/vocabgrabber/

Slide 10: Screenshot from Envision e-textbook

Slide 11: Image from http://beartoons.com/2010/07/18/seven-deadly-sins-poster/

Slides 13-14: Screenshots from presenter’s handout (various sources).

Slide 15: Image from http://blog.printecosoftware.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/greenwash-paint-150.jpg

Slides 16 & 17: Photographs taken by presenter.

Slide 18: Microsoft Clip Art

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