What is greenwashing?

"Greenwashing" is a term used in the industry to describe overinflated or inaccurate environmental claims. In today's industry, greenwashing claims are rampant and devalue the entire industry. Certifications are taken seriously by trade organizations as well as educated consumers. Certifications are the easiest way to defend against greenwashing claims. Unfortunately, the certification market is highly fragmented and disjointed. Being able to navigate the market and select the appropriate certifications can be very confusing even to the most savvy industry professionals. Matching the right certification to the right market is more of an art form than a science. Furthermore, building certifications like LEED, Energy Star, Green Globes, Earthcraft, and NAHB Green Guidelines all constantly change their referenced certifications and thresholds. Additionally, they each cater to very different markets.  more

Unfortunately in this day and age there are companies that mislead customers by making false claims about a green product or service as an outlet to market and/or sell their product. The term for this practice is greenwashing, also known as green sheen. TerraChoice, a North American environmental marketing agency, has devised the Six Sins of Greenwashing. This list of six can be applied any product or service that is believed to be green. 1. Hidden Trade-Off – This is when companies focus on one step of the process that they have made environmentally friendly when in fact the production, transportation, etc… may not be green at all. 2. No Proof – Companies should always be able to provide certificates, test results, etc… either through their website, the mail and even over the telephone. 3. Vague Claims – Similar to tell sin number one, this is when companies tell the truth but not the whole truth. They don’t elaborate on their claim; earth-friendly and chemical-free are examples of ...  more

Greenwashing is a marketing technique in which a company falsely claims environmental responsibility. As more and more consumers are concerned about sustainability and the environment, a growing number of corporations have stepped up, claiming to be improving their environmental practices and reforming their industries. While this may certainly be true in some cases, many of the claims of environmental stewardship made by companies are actually false, or at the very least extremely misleading. The term is a portmanteau of “whitewashing,” in the sense of covering up misdeeds, and “green,” a common term used to refer to environmentally sound practices. The green movement encompasses food sources, building, energy, and everything in between, and it also represents a substantial source of potential income. A growing number of citizens, especially in the First World, are willing to pay a premium for “green” products. In addition to environmentally sensitive companies who are genuinely ...  more

Greenwashing is a term used to describe the perception of consumers that they are being misled by a company regarding the environmental practices of the company or the environmental benefits of a product or service. It is a deceptive use of green PR or green marketing. The term green sheen has similarly been used to describe organizations which attempt to appear that they are adopting practices beneficial to the environment. "Six Sins of Greenwashing" In December 2007, environmental marketing company TerraChoice gained national press coverage for releasing a study called "The Six Sins of Greenwashing," which found that 99% of 1,018 common consumer products randomly surveyed for the study were guilty of greenwashing.

You have probably heard the term greenwashing, but what is it? Does it require a special detergent? Hot or cold water? Should I separate my greens before washing? Greenwashing is the term used to describe the actions of a company, government or other organization that advertises positive environmental practices while acting in the opposite way. An example from my own lessons I have learned list comes from a meeting several years ago. We asked the convention center if they had recycling. They reported they most certainly did have recycling. During the site inspection, we realized the recycling they had touted was a box next to the photocopier in the sales office. There was no recycling happening anywhere else in the building. Tons and tons of recyclable material were going into the landfill each day. Another example is the motorcoach company that was working very aggressively to get my endorsement, so I asked them to send me their environmental policies. The firm said they were ...  more

Editor's note: The following is an excerpt from Green: Your Place in the New Energy Revolution by Jane and Michael Hoffman. Greenwashing is what happens when a hopeful public eager to behave responsibly about the environment is presented with "evidence" that makes an industry or a politician seem friendly to the environment when, in fact, the industry or the politician is not as wholly amicable as it or he might be. We touched on this concept when we talked about the Christmas tree-growing industry presenting partial evidence of its ecobenefits—tree farms as carbon sinks—while neglecting to mention the polluting pesticides or harvesting helicopters. Greenwashing is a marketing strategy, and one the public might grow ever more susceptible to as our need for energy expands and the CO2 in our atmosphere continues to accumulate. As we grow ever more anxious for answers to our energy problems, we need to foster a healthy skepticism and understand that some of the answers that result won't ...  more

Greenwashing is when companies overhype the positive environmental impact of their products or policies. Tsk-tsk. This is what we assiduously try to steer clear of on Ecobunga! There are many good resources out there on how to spot greenwashing. Take some time to learn more - you'll be glad you did.  more