Greenwashing
What is it, what's wrong with it, who's accused of doing it and which companies have the credibility to know better.
Contents at a Glance
What is it ?
Greenwashing is a term that is used to describe the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or services.
Greenwashing was coined by suburban NY environmentalist Jay Westerveld in 1986, in an essay regarding the hotel industry's practice of placing green placards in each room, promoting reuse of guest-towels, ostensibly to "save the environment". Westerveld noted that, in most cases, little or no effort toward waste recycling was being implemented by these institutions, due in part to the lack of cost-cutting affected by such practice. Westerveld opined that the actual objective of this "green campaign" on the part of many hoteliers was, in fact, profit increase. Westerveld hence monikered this and other outwardly environmentally-conscientious acts with a greater, underlying purpose of profit increase as greenwashing.
Greenwashing = Whitewashing the truth over Green claims.
videos on the topic
"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. According to the study, the six sins of greenwashing are
- Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off: e.g. "Energy-efficient" electronics that contain hazardous materials. 998 products and 57% of all environmental claims committed this Sin.
- Sin of No Proof: e.g. Shampoos claiming to be "certified organic," but with no verifiable certification. 454 products and 26% of environmental claims committed this Sin.
- Sin of Vagueness: e.g. Products claiming to be 100% natural when many naturally-occurring substances are hazardous, like arsenic and formaldehyde (see appeal to nature). Seen in 196 products or 11% of environmental claims.
- Sin of Irrelevance: e.g. Products claiming to be CFC-free, even though CFCs were banned 20 years ago. This Sin was seen in 78 products and 4% of environmental claims.
- Sin of Fibbing: e.g. Products falsely claiming to be certified by an internationally recognized environmental standard like EcoLogo, Energy Star or Green Seal. Found in 10 products or less than 1% of environmental claims.
- Sin of Lesser of Two Evils: e.g. Organic cigarettes or "environmentally friendly" pesticides, This occurred in 17 products or 1% of environmental claims.
The accused
Here are some of the companies accused of putting more money, time and energy into slick PR campaigns aimed at promoting their eco-friendly images, than they do to actually protecting the environment . . .
- SHELL
SHELL has abandoned its sponsorship of one of Britain's most prestigious wildlife photography exhibitions after protests by environmental groups.
The oil giant confirmed this weekend it would be severing ties with the Wildlife Photographer of the Year show at the Natural History Museum, London, from this year.
The move follows intense pressure from Friends of the Earth and WWF, who have accused the company of using the event to "greenwash" its environmental credentials.
Article by Isabel Oakeshott, The Sunday Times(UK)
January 27th, 2008 - SAAB
THE premium car groupSaab has been accused of "greenwash" over advertising claims that Saab owners can drive with a "green conscience" regardless of their car's fuel efficiency or engine size.
Saab's "Grrrrrreen" newspaper and internet campaign claims "every Saab is green" because, for each sale, the company will plant 17 trees on behalf of the customer to offset the emissions in the first year.
Article by Wendy Frew, The Sydney Morning Herald
August 2, 2007
The angels
or companies that can at least back up their enviro claims
- Honda
The most fuel-efficient auto company in the U.S.
While other automakers gripe, Honda attacks the issues of fuel economy and emissions with relish. Working independently, it is focusing on two alternative fuel technologies, the natural gas powered "Civic GX" and the hydrogen fuel cell "FCX."
Honda has also taken a crack at solving a problem other automakers have left to the oil companies: creating an infrastructure for hydrogen. Honda's solution is for individual refueling stations that provide heat and electricity for the home as well as hydrogen for a fuel-cell-powered car. Long term, Honda wants to be the world's cleanest, most efficient manufacturer. It has promised to reduce CO2 emissions from its factories as well as its vehicles by 5 percent between 2005 and 2010 - on top of the 5 percent it achieved between 2000 and 2005. - Tesco
Cut energy use and is trying to get customers to think green.
Wind-powered stores, high-tech recycling, biodiesel delivery trucks - Tesco does all that. Last year the company pledged to cut the average energy use in its British buildings in half by 2010. - S.C. Johnson
Three generations of committed environmental stewardship.
S.C.Johnson's most notable innovation is its Greenlist process, a classification system that evaluates the impact of thousands of raw materials on human and environmental health. By using Greenlist, S.C. Johnson eliminated 1.8 million pounds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from Windex and four million pounds of polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) from Saran Wrap, which is now PVDC-free. (VOCs and PVDC are both pollutants.) The company licenses Greenlist royalty-free to other firms that want to use it.
It is also cutting back its reliance on coal-fired power, recently building its own power plant that runs on natural gas and methane piped in from a nearby landfill.
Do you have more examples
of the accused & angels when it comes to green credentials
Fetching blurbs now... please stand by
Greenwash complaints
The number of complaints about UK ads that made green claims in 2007 was more than four times higher than greenwashing complaints in 2006.
Out of 24,192 total complaints about 14,080 ads the UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received last year, 561 were about 410 ads that made environmental claims.
Article by GreenBiz Staff, GreenBiz.com
May 2, 2008
Out of 24,192 total complaints about 14,080 ads the UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received last year, 561 were about 410 ads that made environmental claims.
Article by GreenBiz Staff, GreenBiz.com
May 2, 2008
books on the topic
The truth about sustainability and "greenwashing".(Ask the Architect): An article from: Doors and Hardware
Amazon Price: $5.95 (as of 10/13/2008)
![Imperializing spin cycles: A postcolonial look at public relations, greenwashing, and the separation of publics [An article from: Public Relations Review]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51AVCCTHRDL._SL75_.jpg)
Imperializing spin cycles: A postcolonial look at public relations, greenwashing, and the separation of publics [An article from: Public Relations Review]
Amazon Price: $8.95 (as of 10/13/2008)
Strong certification programs separate genuine ecotourism from greenwashing fast-buck artists. (Who Owns Paradise?).: An article from: E
Amazon Price: $5.95 (as of 10/13/2008)
Responses to greenwashing concerns
Certain governments and non-government organisations around the world have expressed concern, lauched enquiries into greenwashing or accreditation of green claims.
- Australia
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is close to releasing its findings into questionable carbon offset claims.
It is already threatening fines of more than $1 million for companies that make false or misleading statements. But Climate Group spokesman Rupert Posner says that has not stopped advertisers testing the limits of fair representation.
See article here - United Kingdom
A green standard for companies that act to reduce their carbon footprint is launched today by the Carbon Trust. Backed by business groups and environmental campaigners, the new standard is intended to end "greenwash" and highlight firms that are genuine about their commitment to the environment.
See article here
June 24, 2008
GREEN Tip of the Day
latest news on the topic
- Ask the expert: Greenwashing
- Scot Case from environmental marketing firm TerraChoice has come up with what he calls the "Six Sins of Greenwashing" that he claims many companies are ...
- New Webinar Shows How Packagers Can Limit Greenwashing
- PaperSpecs' Webinar, ?Greenwashing: Wringing Out the Truth,? will give you practical tools and useful information to make these determinations with more ...
- An Animated Attack Ad From Hannah-Beth Jackson
- Has Hannah-Beth Jackson's campaign sent anything out attacking what his critics call his greenwashing about his actual policies? If you see any mailer, ...
Your thoughts
Like this lens? Want to share your feedback, or just give a thumbs up? Be the first to submit a blurb!
