How the travel industry ‘greenwashes’ its eco credentials

Used in a political context, white­wash­ing means covering up wrong­doing with deceptive words or actions to protect reputations. Greenwash­ing, which entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 1999, is whitewashing in order to present an environmentally responsible image.

Terms such as sustainable tourism, ethical tourism and ecotourism are so over­used they’ve become almost meaning­less and it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between companies genuinely committed to conservation and those adopting green schemes merely to enhance profits. Should a guesthouse be allowed to describe itself as an eco-lodge because it has a back garden?

1 Hotels

Hotels seem to be spending more time and effort claiming to be green than they do introducing initiatives that might actually benefit the environment. It has been estimated, for example, that at least half of all British accommodation providers mislead guests with their planet-saving policies. In fairness, there are many shades of green compliance, from cutting down on wasteful packaging to donating a percentage of profits to carbon-neutral causes.

The now ubiquitous practice of asking guests to reuse towels in order to save water is a start but the savings are minimal compared with the amount of water the hotel uses to irrigate its nine-hole golf course and top up the swimming pool. Some properties make a big deal of switching to energy-efficient light bulbs but do nothing to stop people leaving the air conditioner on while they’re out. And describing food as “locally sourced” because it was purchased in a nearby supermarket is greenwash par excellence.