User:ZyMOS/Greenwash

Greenwash (a portmanteau of green ideologies and whitewash) is a term that is used to describe company, government, or other organization that advertizes positive environmental practices, while acting in the opposite. Greenwash came into use in the early 1990's, most notably in as the title of an article in the 1991 March or April issue of Mother Jones magazine.

The term is generally used when significantly more money or time has been spent advertising being green, rather than actual 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 of harmful chemicals. Environmetalists often use greenwashing to describle energy companies, which are traditionally the largest poluters.

Some examples of greenwashing, include the US Governments, Clear Skies Initiative, which environmentalists claim weakens air pollution laws.

External links / Sources

 * Questioning "corporate social responsibility" - a greenwashing article from London's Southern OnTrack magazine
 * Channel 4 Dispatches - Greenwash - documentary Presented by George Monbiot transmitted 06/03/07
 * Greenwashing Junk Food an article from lime.com
 * Turn Up The Heat - George Monbiot criticises greenwash
 * ''What is Greenwashing, and Why is it a Problem?" by Chris MacDonald & Melissa Whellams
 * genuine green companies and shaming greenwashers"