greenwashing

American  

[green-wosh-ing, -waw-shing] / ˈgrinˌwɒʃ ɪŋ, -ˌwɔ ʃɪŋ /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of greenwashing

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

Example Sentences

Supporters of the legislation say it discourages corporate greenwashing, or marketing that falsely portrays a company’s efforts to reduce climate-warming emissions.

From Los Angeles Times

Whether for or against Total, the ruling could have far-reaching impacts given the limited legal precedents so far with regards to greenwashing claims by fossil fuel giants.

From Barron's

The plaintiffs took that legal route as "greenwashing" -- or the act of claiming to be more environmentally responsible than in reality -- is not specifically covered under French law.

From Barron's

Environmental group River Action, which brought the complaint in 2023, said the ruling showed the scheme was "greenwashing" and urged supermarkets to stop using it.

From BBC

Last month, Wendy’s issued a statement about responsibly sourcing palm oil, though the announcement was criticized as greenwashing.

From Salon