How to Distinguish Greenwashing From Ecotourism
In the past several decades, many companies have focused on how they have allegedly become more environmentally conscious. The travel industry has followed suit, with many travel agencies claiming to offer ecotourism experiences. Many are valid, but others are less so. To make sure your dollars will be supporting the most environmentally friendly operations, do your research before planning a trip.
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Instructions
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Read "The Six Sins of Greenwashing," a 2007 report published by the environmental marketing agency TerraChoice. You can find a link to the article under the "References" section below.
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Gather information about the ecotourism agency you're considering. Look up the agency's website, or find brochures from the agency.
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Consider whether the first sin of greenwashing mentioned in TerraChoice's article, the "sin of the hidden trade-off," applies to the ecotourism agency you're evaluating. In committing this sin, a company focuses on one or two aspects of its business that are environmentally friendly while ignoring or downplaying aspects that may be detrimental to the environment. Research the company, looking for news articles and other information about it on the web, and call to ask questions.
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Find out whether the company substantiates its environmentally friendly claims with proof. It should make documentation of this proof accessible to potential customers, rather than simply making a statement that you can't follow up on. If in doubt, call and ask for proof.
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Ask yourself whether the agency commits the "sin of vagueness," which may leave you unclear as to what the agency is actually claiming. A company that says it's an "environmentally friendly travel agency" without providing anything specific to substantiate that claim commits this sin, appealing to those who won't look beyond the surface for information.
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Consider whether the company commits the "sin of irrelevance," pointing out information that, while true, won't help you make a better decision. For example, according to TerraChoice, many companies still advertise that their products are CFC-free even though CFCs have been banned for several decades. This is a classic example of providing irrelevant information.
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Ask yourself whether the ecotourism agency is committing the "sin of the lesser of two evils." A company committing this sin promotes a service as being environmentally friendly when it's merely slightly better than the worst option. For example, some ecotourism agencies may portray large hotels that invade natural habitats and don't benefit local environments as being environmentally friendly while ignoring ecolodges that support a modest amount of responsible travel and fund meaningful efforts to improve the environment.
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Find out whether the agency commits the "sin of fibbing." A reputable company would have approval from a third party, which you could look up online or contact to find out whether the claims are true; a disreputable company is not likely to have such approval.
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Consider whether the agency may have committed the "sin of false labels" by giving the impression that a third party has approved their environmentally friendly claims when in fact the third party may not even exist. To find out, research any claims the ecotourism agency makes, and look up any third parties it cites, to verify that they do, in fact, exist.
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Go to the International Society for Ecotourism's website, where you can find a directory of TIES-approved agencies and companies. See if the company you are considering is listed in their directory.
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Do further research on your destination and any hotels or agencies you may be considering by reading up on them in reputable guidebooks. Books in series such as The Lonely Planet and Moon often address issues of environmental friendliness.
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Read the International Society for Ecotourism's guidelines on traveling responsibly, and follow them in planning your trip. When in doubt about an ecotourism agency's practices, call the hotels where you would be staying and ask if they follow environmentally friendly practices.
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Consider the overall environmental impact of the travel agency or company you're considering. Is it truly benefiting the environment, or would the local habitat and people of your destination be better off without it?
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