EDITORS DESK
The term “greenwashing” has become increasingly common in today’s climate discussions. So much so that recent reports suggest businesses are using it as a tool to mislead consumers, turning it into a form of marketing wordplay.
A quick online search for greenwashing yields an overwhelming number of results. As of this writing, news outlets are reporting a range of related stories—from Italy probing a fast fashion brand for alleged greenwashing to an Australian court fining a global investment management firm for misleading environmental claims.
But what exactly is greenwashing? Coined by American environmentalist Jay Westerveld in 1986, the term arose from his experience at a resort that urged guests to reuse towels “to help the environment.” Meanwhile, the resort was expanding its facilities, effectively destroying nature in the process.
While the term has been around since the 1980s, it was only added to the dictionary in 2022. Merriam-Webster defines greenwashing as “the act or practice of making a product, policy, activity, etc. appear to be more environmentally friendly or less environmentally damaging than it really is.”
Interest in greenwashing, as reflected by Google Trends, has surged significantly from 2004 to 2024, peaking during the pandemic in 2020. Today, it's at an all-time high.
According to Akepa, a sustainability marketing agency in Spain, searches for sustainable brands have risen by nearly 400 percent over the past five years. However, 42 percent of companies’ sustainability claims are either exaggerated, false, or deceptive. Akepa also found that 15 out of 24 multinational “climate leaders” had climate strategies evaluated as having low or very low integrity.
As climate discussions evolve, so do the terms used within them. Did you know there are various shades of greenwashing? A 2023 report from financial think tank Planet Tracker highlights the different forms greenwashing can take today:
Greencrowding: “Built on the belief that you can hide in a crowd to avoid discovery, relying on safety in numbers. If sustainability policies are being developed, it is likely that the group will move at the speed of the slowest.”
Greenlighting: “When company communications (including advertisements) spotlight a particularly green feature of its operations or products, however small, in order to draw attention away from environmentally damaging activities being conducted elsewhere.”
Greenshifting: “When companies imply that the consumer is at fault and shift the blame on to them.”
Greenlabeling: “A practice where marketers call something green or sustainable, but a closer examination reveals this to be misleading.”
Greenrinsing: “A company regularly changing its ESG targets before they are achieved.”
Greenhushing: “Corporate management teams under-reporting or hiding their sustainability credentials in order to evade investor scrutiny.”
These various forms of greenwashing highlight how companies can mislead consumers, making it more important than ever to scrutinize sustainability claims carefully. Understanding these nuances can empower individuals to navigate the complexities of greenwashing. By staying vigilant, we can hold companies accountable and contribute to a more sustainable future for our planet.
(Rey Robes Ilagan is the editor of Manila Bulletin’s Environment and Sustainability section.)