What is greenwashing?
Greenwashing, or making exaggerated claims about your sustainability to attract visitors, is everywhere.
Last fall, Austrian Airlines lost a case brought against it by a consumer organization, which accused the carrier of advertising carbon-neutral flights that used 100% sustainable aviation fuel. A lower court found the advertisements to be misleading.
In December, the U.K.’s Advertising Standards Authority ruled that Air France, Lufthansa and Etihad had published ads that promised passengers would “fly more sustainably” and that they were “committed to protecting the environment.” Regulators said the ads were false and misleading – and pointed out that air travel produces high levels of both carbon dioxide and non-CO2 emissions.
Closer to home, one of the biggest greenwashing cases in recent years happened at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego County, a resort that had won numerous environmental awards. Activists found that the resort was trapping and killing wildlife, including skunks and possums.
And here’s the thing: It’s really hard to tell if an airline or hotel is greenwashing. Your resort could make outrageously false claims about how it loves the environment, and you’d be none the wiser.
Or would you?
Third-party certifications from Green Key, LEED and WELL can be signs that a travel company means business about the environment. Transportation companies may also offer verified offsets from organizations like Terrapass or the Gold Standard Foundation. These certifications aren’t a guarantee the company is green, but it’s a good start.
● What’s the company saying to everyone? If the company claims to be green, don’t just take its word for it. Listen to what it says. If you see nothing but bikini models lounging around a pool on its Instagram channel or ads for online discounts on its site, perhaps it’s a shade of fake green. “A company’s social media strategy is generally a reflection of its current ethos and goals,” explained Julia Carter, founder of Craft Travel. If you see posts about sustainability and conservation, it can be a positive sign.
● How deep is its commitment to the environment? Look for reliable reports on sustainability from a travel company. For example, The Travel Corporation publishes an annual impact report that charts its progress against 11 sustainability goals developed by the United Nations. Many cruise lines also publish detailed reports that allow you to check their commitment to the environment against several objective standards.
Be skeptical
As someone who is literally always traveling, I find there are two consistent truths: First, no matter what the travel industry claims, it’s always profits over planet. In other words, if it’s a choice between doing something that will help the environment versus earning money, the money wins.
Second, travelers lie about what they want. They tell pollsters that they want to make a difference and that they care deeply about the environment. And then they turn around and book the cheapest hotel room they can find. (Is it LEED-certified? Who cares!) They choose the least expensive airline. (Does it use biofuels? It doesn’t matter!)
And that has created an environment where travelers pretend they want a green vacation, and the travel industry pretends to give it to them.
Meantime, if you’re thinking of taking a green vacation, you might want to think again. Travel harms the environment no matter how you get there. If you want to be totally green, just stay home.
Spotting greenwashing
Here’s how you can spot the biggest offenders and avoid them:
● Look for sleight of hand: Some companies highlight eco-friendly initiatives that are unrelated to their main environmental impacts. For instance, an airline might promote a small recycling program but fail to address its massive carbon footprint. “It’s irrelevant,” said travel adviser Kristin Winkaffe of Winkaffe Global Travel.
● Beware of a hyper-focus on one program: Greenwashing companies focus on a single initiative but miss the bigger picture, said Justin Smith, owner of The Evolved Traveler, an agency that focuses on sustainable travel. For example, a hotel that touts its commitment to abandon single-use plastics or utensils may be missing an opportunity to create a truly sustainable product by also supporting the local population. “Such practices indicate there is not a full or authentic commitment to sustainability,” he said.
● Watch for vagueness and buzzwords: Be skeptical. Any hotel that calls itself green – or, worse, an “ecolodge” – deserves extra scrutiny. But even so, many of the terms thrown around aren’t just buzzy, they’re also fuzzy.
“Vague, unverifiable claims can be a sign of trouble,” said Shannon Guihan, who heads The Travel Corporation’s not-for-profit TreadRight Foundation, an environmental organization focused on supporting nature-based solutions to the climate crisis.
Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems.