Greenwashing

One can fall victim to brainwashing, whitewashing, or hog-washing but greenwashing? Yes, greenwashing, which tends to be a bit of the other "washings" all wrapped into one deceptive package of false green self promotion; all to make the unwitting consumer think that a certain product or company policy is environmentally friendly. The term "greenwashing" has been around since the mid eighties but has really begun to take center stage in just the last couple of years as more and more companies have become quite adept and creative in their marketing of products environmental friendliness while disregarding any and all non-beneficial aspects. It seems that everybody is doing it now days; banks and credit card companies that are "green" because they offer "paperless" statements and online financing, hotels with their "save the environment, reuse your dirty linens and towels" greenwashing, or how about those pretty pictures of trees on products that actually contain dangerous chemicals. You get the not so green picture. Of course not all environmental advertising is dishonest; sometimes it's just harder to see the forest for the trees.