greenwashing

[ green-wosh-ing, -waw-shing ]

noun

1. an instance or practice of promoting or affiliating a brand, campaign, mission, etc., with environmentalism as a ploy to divert attention from policies and activities that are in fact antienvironmentalist:

   Car manufacturers have gone all-in on this greenwashing of fuel efficiency standards.

Word History and Origins

Origin of greenwashing¹

First recorded in 1985–90; greenwash ( def ) + -ing ¹( def )

Example Sentences

Done purely for marketing, it has been criticized by environmentalists as a greenwashing tactic.

From Salon

Though the agency only pursues a few greenwashing cases a year, its guides — which are guidelines instead of laws — are the only national benchmark for evaluating recycling claims.

From Salon

Were there a greenwashing hall of fame, this would be in it.

From Los Angeles Times

“The specter of greenwashing that we’re all worried about, at a system level, is not a huge concern today,” he said.

From Salon

In her statement posted on Instagram on Thursday, Church, a singer and pro-Palestinian campaigner, said she was boycotting "in protest of the artwashing and greenwashing that is apparent in this sponsorship".

From BBC