‘Greenwashing’ is now in the Merriam Webster dictionary.

greenwashing

1 of 2

noun

green·​wash·​ing ˈgrēn-ˌwȯ-shiŋ 

-ˌwä-
: 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

Chevron is among the firms that have been sued for greenwashing, accused of undermining a biodiesel project while attempting to enhance its green cred. Richard Stengel
The practice of greenwashing appears more common as firms attempt to better position themselves in a global marketplace growing more concerned with corporate sustainability. Timothy W. Aurand et al.
Such complaints have led to a marketing mishmash, with some labels reflecting products that have been reformulated for the better and others doing little more than greenwashing. Bonnie Rochman

greenwashing

2 of 2

present participle of GREENWASH

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The fashion industry is a prime example – ‘greenwashing’ has long been a concern of consumers and rightly so. Catherine Erdly, Forbes, 21 June 2022

The area of sustainability disclosures is rife with greenwashing or the practice of managers (the agents) not following through on their ESG or climate promises made to providers of capital (the investors or principals). Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes, 12 June 2022
There are a lot of reusable produce bags on the market—and a lot of greenwashing. Urmila Ramakrishnan, Bon Appétit, 28 July 2022
Our curated collection makes planning stays at sustainable luxury hotels much easier, eliminating tedious research and greenwashing. John Mariani, Forbes, 19 July 2022
And how-to guides detail tangible pointers for reducing negative effects, experiencing conservation- and community-minded destinations, and discerning meaningful measures from deceptive greenwashing. Erin E. Williams, Washington Post, 14 July 2022
The board aims to reduce fragmentation in global ESG standards and reduce greenwashing, ISSB Chairman Emmanuel Faber said. Kristin Broughton, WSJ, 15 June 2022
Whether this amounts to real action on corporate ESG (environment, social, governance), or mere greenwashing, isn’t clear. Amanda Shendruk, Quartz, 24 Dec. 2021
That phenomenon even has a name — greenwashing — coined by environmental activist Jay Westerveld in the 1980s. Li Cohen, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2022
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