green•wash

(grēn'wŏsh', -wôsh')

Used to describe the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.

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What's this all about?

Every day, Americans are bombarded with advertising about environmentally friendly goods and services. But how many really are green, and how many are just pretending?

Featured Greenwash

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INTRODUCTION TO STOPGREENWASH.ORG

These days, green is the new black. Corporations are falling all over themselves to demonstrate that they are environmentally conscious. The average citizen is finding it more and more difficult to tell the difference between those companies genuinely dedicated to making a difference and those that are using a green curtain to conceal dark motives.

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Environmental Groups Highlight “Greenwashing” by American, United, Continental Airlines

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

We know the oil companies are notorious greenwashers, but you might not have thought about the airlines. Apparently, they're just as guilty as big oil. This month a group of environmental organizations, including Earth Justice, Center for...

Don't be fooled by Shell's Arctic ads

Monday, November 15, 2010

Greenpeace has been documenting Shell's greenwash for years, including false claims about capturing CO2 emissions and misinforming consumers about tar sands. But since BP's oil disaster, Shell has embarked on a huge, new ad campaign bigger...

Shell Starts 'Lets Go' Campaign in Virginia Metro

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Last week, we wrote about Shell's latest greenwashing campaign that is to be centered upon the idea of passing energy to the next generation and particularly the slogan “Let's Go.” Two commercials and a print ad have emerged so far featuring this phrase. It has shown up in newspapers, magazines and on national television…and now in a metro station in the Washington, D.C....

Greenpeace Greenwash Criteria

Dirty Business - Touting an environmental program or product, while the corporation's product or core business is inherently polluting or unsustainable. For example, if a company brags about its boutique green R&D projects but the majority of spending and investment reinforces old, unsustainable, polluting practices.

Ad Bluster - Using targeted advertising and public relations campaigns to exaggerate an environmental achievement in order to divert attention away from environmental problems or if it spends more money advertising an environmental achievement than actually doing it. For example, if a company were to do a million dollar ad campaign about a clean up that cost less.

Political Spin - Advertising or speaking about corporate "green" commitments while lobbying against pending or current environmental laws and regulations. For example, if advertising or public statements are used to emphasize corporate environmental responsibility in the midst of legislative pressure or legal action.

It's the Law, Stupid! - Advertising or branding a product with environmental achievements that are already required or mandated by existing laws. For example, if an industry or company has been forced to change a product, clean up its pollution or protect an endangered species, then uses PR campaigns to make such action look proactive or voluntary.

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