IS A TERM USED TO DESCRIBE THE PRACTICE OF COMPANIES DISINGENUOUSLY SPINNING THEIR PRODUCTS AND POLICIES AS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, SUCH AS BY PRESENTING COST CUTS AS REDUCTIONS IN USE OF RESOURCES. IT IS A DECEPTIVE USE OF GREEN PR OR GREEN MARKETING. THE TERM GREEN SHEEN HAS SIMILARLY BEEN USED TO DESCRIBE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ATTEMPT TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE ADOPTING PRACTICES BENEFICIAL TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
GREENWASHING WAS COINED BY NY ENVIRONMENTALIST JAY WESTERVELD 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, INCREASED PROFIT. WESTERVELD HENCE MONIKERED THIS AND OTHER OUTWARDLY ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIENTIOUS ACTS WITH A GREATER, UNDERLYING PURPOSE OF PROFIT INCREASE AS GREENWASHING.
THE TERM IS GENERALLY USED WHEN SIGNIFICANTLY MORE MONEY OR TIME HAS BEEN SPENT ADVERTISING BEING GREEN (THAT IS, OPERATING WITH CONSIDERATION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT), RATHER THAN SPENDING RESOURCES ON ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND PRACTICES. THIS IS OFTEN PORTRAYED BY CHANGING THE NAME OR LABEL OF A PRODUCT, TO GIVE THE FEELING OF NATURE, FOR EXAMPLE PUTTING AN IMAGE OF A FOREST ON A BOTTLE CONTAINING HARMFUL CHEMICALS. ENVIRONMENTALISTS OFTEN USE GREENWASHING TO DESCRIBE THE ACTIONS OF ENERGY COMPANIES, WHICH ARE TRADITIONALLY THE LARGEST POLLUTERS.
Daniel Torres Ossorio
