Green Washing Labels in Hotels - Research Paper Example

Green Washing Labels in Hotels Executive Summary Greenwashing in the hospitality industry has largely been on the rise since the introduction of environmental friendliness. Most fraudulent hotels have since used it as a marketing strategy to taint their corporate image in the eyes of potential clients and win over their hearts. While some hotels hold an entirely profit-centered view to their action, the issue of greenwashingstill holds two sides. Environmental bodies have thus shown concern to this challenge, which is also blocking the success of their environmental friendliness campaigns. In order to combat the challenge, some of these environmental bodies have stepped up to inform the public, investigate and expose the fraudster institutions. With the disguise behind greenwashing on the rise, it remains difficult to tell which hotels are sincerely green. This is why governments have established bodies to play the role of designing certification programs to determine the green-worthiness of companies. Therefore, potential clients should not give in to empty green jargons but seek to see the accreditation offered to the hotel or company concerned. Beyond accreditation, knowledgeable customers can still reach judgements by making personal observations on the general operations of a hotel. Despite thegreedy benefits achieved off greenwashing, a few hotels have been exemplary in their commitment to eco-friendliness. Behind it all, such eco-committed hotels are the ones that hold the upper hand in earning customer loyalty. Introduction Green Washing or green sheen is a green marketing or green PR strategy used deceptively to promote products, policies, or aims of the organization as environmentally-friendly (Pierre, 2012). Proofs of green washing in an organization or a company are in spending. Organizations and companies that use greenwashing use more time and money advertising their concern for the environment than time spent on environmentally sound practices (Tresidder&Hirst, 2012). There are different efforts aimed at greenwashing. A company or an organization can change the label; a name of a product to suggest natural environment on a product that is environmentally harmful (Middleton & Clarke, 2001). A product may have toxic chemical but as a company or an organization use multimillion-dollar advertising to give it an environmentally-friendly image (Mulvaney, 2011). This paper tries to argue that greenwashing is a tool used by hotels to attract more customers. It discusses the history of the green washing concept and gives the origin of the term greenwashing. It also gives an example of a hotel that has employed the idea and the impacts of green washing on customers. Furthermore, it discusses various means of identifying green washing in hotels. History In mid 1960s, environmental movements became strong (Ottman, 2011). The world held the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. The new development caused many organizations and companies to launch advertising campaigns aimed at presenting themselves as environmentally-friendly. Jerry Mander, an ex-advertising executive at Madison called the new type of advertising ecopornography. Mander noted that companies spent over 300 million dollars campaigning for recognition as uncontaminated green companies (Dauvergne& Lister, 2013). In 1985, Chevron Corporation initiated the most prominent green washing advert. Many people received the advert well. In 1987, various surveys portrayed Chevron as a trusted company in California (Beder, 2002). The success of the Chevron Company encouraged more companies into the practice. The practiced caused the American Chemistry Council (ACC) to start a program titled Responsible Care. ACC aimed to educate people on the best environmental precautions and performances. However, due to the looseness of the guidelines promoted by ACC, many organizations and companies adopted self-regulations over government regulations (Dalgic, 2006). Many companies including hotels developed their regulations not aimed at promoting the protection of the environment, but on increasing profits. Unlike the government, companies and organizations were concerned with their good over the good of the public. American Marketing Association (AMA) found out that 58 percent of environmental adverts in 1991 had deceptive claims. In another study, 77 percent of people interviewed claimed that they were attracted to companies that have good environmental reputation (Jermier, 2013). Therefore, the existence of two sides in the greenwashing campaigns has always been a challenge to the society. While the government is always attempting to promote environmental protection, the prospects of increased profits prompt company to employ deceptive campaigns. Over the years, companies and organizations have succeeded over the government. Many industries are not using the greenwashing strategy. Origin of the Term Jay Westerveld, an environmentalist from New York, coined the term greenwashing in 1986 in an essay he wrote about the practice of using placards to promote reuse of towels by the hotel. Westerveld pointed out that in many cases, hotels do little to protect their environments, yet they brand themselves as environmentally mindful. He noted that the real objective or goal of greenwashing campaign was to increase profits (Hager & Burton, 2000). The experience of Westerveld in a South Pacific hotel room in mid 1980s promoted him to design a concept. In one of the room in the hotel, Jay Westerveld found a card that encouraged people to discourage the washing of towels that have been used once as by doing so, they were conserving water. The card had three green arrows that symbolize recycling. Westerveld discovered the irony in the card. He realized that hotels misuse resources in many other different ways. He also realized that the not washing of towels save hotels many dollars. He thus criticized the hotels for the pretentious acts (Allora, et al. 2008). Eco-friendly label as a Disguise Tool for Hotels Just like in 1980s when Jay Westerveld observed the use of the greenwashing strategy, many hotels are still using the practice. Few hotels are sensitive to the environment. Many hotels are still enjoying the fruits of green washing. Most common green initiatives by hotels are cost effective. The help hotels save money. Many energy conservation practices like using the latest air conditioning, turning the lights off, and use of other electrical equipments help hotels reduce their electricity bills. The use of special softeners and detergents help hotels to save laundry bills. Laundry bills are also saved when a customer does not request the washing of towels in order to conserve water (Ferrell, Fraedrich& Ferrell, 2014). Even though, the above-mentioned initiatives can help a hotel conserve water and electricity, most hotels use the potentiality of the practices to disguise their real intentions. Some hotels are true in their initiatives. They use the initiatives to promote the conservation of the environment. However, it is hard to point out the true green hotels in the hotel industry. Certifications programs, which are used currently are indistinguishable and rarely used on the internet to assist people decide on the right hotels. The certificates have no forms of justifications and standardizations (Muratovski, 2014). People are thus, left with vague information that is unreliable. Crooked hotels have maximized the fact. They use the opportunity to amass high profits while pretending to be conscious of the environment. Identification of Greenwashing In 2009, TerraChoice, an environmental marketing company pointed out that 98 percent of the 2,219 hotels it investigated had false claims for being environmentally green. TerraChoice found only 25 products as eco-friendly. It is thus clear that greenwashing has become the norm to most hotels. Hotels are employing this crooked practice because many consumers are opting for greener choices (Platt, Sanfilippo& Whaley, 2011). It is thus, important to for customers to differentiate between true environmentalists and those employing the dishonest strategy for their benefits. The Increase in Green-claiming products between the Year 2009 and 2010[Ter10]. A graph of the Rise of Green Ads[Ter10]. As stated earlier, it is very hard to differentiate between an eco-friendly hotel and the one that is using greenwashing. Customers need to look beyond the green certifications because some have no form of standardizations (Levinson & Horowitz, 2010). In order to differentiate between an eco-friendly and a dishonest hotel, the customer ought to observe certain factors about a hotel. He/she should go beyond green jargons like eco-lodge and eco-friendly. Instead, he/she should identify whether a hotel has a bona-fide recycling program and whether it supports and incorporates local environmental activities. He/she should also check whether the hotel is furnished or built with reclaimed, natural or renewable materials wherever it is possible (MacDonald, 2008). Again, he/she needs to identify whether the hotel gives green options for customers such as local culture-based activities and bile rentals. Furthermore, the customer needs to check whether a hotel uses alternative resources like the use of wind or solar power and geothermal heating. Some Images of Greenwashing in Hotels Greenwashing in Hotels Based on the above-mentioned characteristics of an eco-friendly hotel, it is possible to identify dishonest hotels. Dishonest hotels focus on accumulation of more profits (Cohen, 2011). They do not focus on any other activity oriented towards conservation of the environment except those, which they use to entice their customers (Pearse, 2014). These hotels aim only to request the customers to be environmentally conscious. The customers are in the forefront of environmental conservation. Through the customers’ actions, the hotel seems to be an eco-friendly entity yet it does not put up any measure directed towards the protection of the environment. Its only measure is the one directed towards requesting a customer to be conscious of the environment. With, this knowledge it can be quite easy to identify an eco-friendly hotel from the dishonest ones. An individual needs to look only at the attempts of a hotel for the conservation of the environment. If a hotel does not put up any measure other than encouraging its customers to be environmentally conscious that particular hotel is only concerned with increasing its profits. Many of the hotels that I have visited used the greenwashing strategy. They entice customers with their eco-friendly claims. However, I am going to mention my experiences in Hilton Head Island. It was on December 2013, when I visited Beaufort County with my family. We particularly visited the Hilton's Head, and we had a chance to stay at Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa for a whole weekend. I was particular happy to visit this hotel as it has good rooms and well kept surroundings and particular due to its claim that it was a true green hotel. The first example that hits a customer on his/her arrival is a huge poster that is hanging over the lobby. The poster had these words, Make a green choice written on it. The poster also explained how customers could save many units of electricity and gallons of water by forgoing the washing of their sheets and towels during their stay. The hotel gave a customer a free $5 food voucher as an appreciation when he/she agreed to go green. Table summary of International Greenwashing Rates[Ter10]. Chart of Summary of greenwashingwitnessed in four countries[Ter10]. Just like my other family members, I decided to make a green choice. For the three days that I stayed there, there were no service whatsoever, was given to me. Even though, my choice could only have affected the changing and washing of my towels and sheets, no one came to collect my recyclables. I realized after a day that even though my actions were likely to save water and electricity, Westin was not concerned with them as it was concerned with saving the costs of labor and attracting customers. A chart of the frequency of greenwashing sins in the UK[Ter10]. True eco-friendly hotels proffer organically grown and locally harvested foodstuffs, stable supply of fresh air, and bulk supply of amenities and soap items. However, at Westin, carpets are damp as the hotel is close to the beach. Furthermore, all amenities and soap items were placed in small plastic containers. Food was offered in plastic cups with plastic wrapping. The hotel’s menu provided detailed information about the nutritional advantages of each food. The menu mention about how different foodstuffs work greatly together. Unfortunately, none of the foodstuffs in the menu was grown and harvested locally. Westin hotel is the best example of hotels that are dishonestly claiming to be eco-friendly in order to attract customers. In the lobby, the first impression that is built in the customer is that of a true green hotel. However, even though it requests its customers to preserve various resources, the hotel is not executing any other strategy to help in the protection of the environment. For instance, its foodstuffs are not organically and locally grown. The hotel is thus not a true green hotel, as it has no other strategy except its request for customers to a make green choice. Westin strategy for conservation of the environment is one-sided. Customers alone conserve the environment as per the strategy. The truth of this fact portrays the hidden objective of the hotel. Through, its customers, the hotel can save many dollars. It can save cost of labor, electricity bill, and water bill. Through this way, the hotel can increase its profit. Again, the hotel main aim is to attract more customers. There are a number of hotels in Hilton's Head. However, my family chose to stay at Westin hotel because it was an environmentally conscious hotel. We were happy of the prospect of being part of a company that conserves the environment. Even though, there are other hotels in the island that claimed to be eco-friendly, we chose Westin Hotel because it promised to give anyone of us who made a green choice, a gift. The hotel through its webpage and placards in the lobby enticed customers of its eco-friendly nature. Again, it enticed them of the benefits of being part of its eco-friendly nature. The hotel offered a $5 food voucher for anyone who made a green choice. Each one of use noticed later that the hotel is not a true green hotel. As discussed earlier, the hotel has not employed any other measure to promote the protection of the environment. In an attempt to distinguish itself in the hotel industry, Westin Hotel offers some benefits to customers who choose a green choice. The hotel thus attracts environmentally conscious people through its claim of being an eco-friendly. To compete successfully with other hotels, it uses gifts. The strategy also used by many other hotels has two different intentions that help the hotel increase its profits. It targets to attract more customers and the reduction of operation cost. Through reduction in the electricity bill, water bill, labor bills, the hotel can reduce it overall operation cost. As discussed above, Westin Hotel is not a true green hotel, it thus uses green washing to attract more customers and reduce on its operation cost. Apart from Westin Hotel,many other hotels employ the strategy of green washing to attract and reduce the cost of operation. Conclusion Environmental consciousness grew in the 1960s. Many people adopted a protective outlook of the environment. The world held the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. A very high number of companies maximized the widespread altitude by launching green washing adverts. In 1985, Chevron Corporation initiated the most prominent green washing advert. Many people received well the advert. In 1987, various surveys portrayed Chevron as a trusted company in California. Due to the success of the Chevron Company, many adopted the strategy. In the hotel industry, many hotels employ the strategy by presenting themselves as eco-friendly. For instance, due to the presentation of Westin Hotel as an eco-friendly hotel attracted us to the hotel. The hotel ensured that it attracted a high number of customers by offering gifts to environmentally conscious customers. However, I discovered that the hotel was not concerned of the environment but concerned with high profits through attracting more customers and reducing operation cost. Therefore, hotels are using Greenwashing to attract customers. References Allora, J., Bonacossa, I., Benatti, M., Boero, R., Andrews, M., Cánepa, L. M., &FondazioneSandretto Re Rebaudengo per l'arte. (2008). Greenwashing: Environment, perils, promises and perplexities. Torino: The Bookmakers. Beder, S. (2002).Global spin: The corporate assault on environmentalism. Dartington, Totnes, Devon, UK: Green Books. Cohen, N. (2011). Green business: An A-to-Z guide. Los Angeles: Sage Publications. Dalgic, T. (2006).Handbook of niche marketing: Principles and practice. New York: Best Business Books, Haworth Reference Press. Dauvergne, P., & Lister, J. (2013).Eco-Business: A Big-Brand Takeover of Sustainability. Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L. (2014).Business ethics: Ethical decision making and cases: Cengage learning. Hager, N., & Burton, B. (2000).Secrets and lies: [the anatomy of an anti-environmental PR campaign]. Monroe, ME: Common Courage Press. Levinson, J. C., & Horowitz, S. (2010). Guerrilla marketing goes green: Winning strategies to improve your profits and your planet. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Jermier, J. M. (2013). Corporate environmentalism and the greening of organizations. Los Angeles: Sage. MacDonald, C. C. (2008). Green, inc: An environmental insider reveals how a good cause has gone bad. Guilford, Conn: Lyons Press. Middleton, V. T. C., & Clarke, J. (2001).Marketing in travel and tourism. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Mulvaney, D. (2011). Green politics: An A-to-Z guide. Los Angeles: Sage Publications. Muratovski, G. (2014). Design for Business. Bristol: Intellect. Ottman, J. A. (2011). The new rules of green marketing: Strategies, tools, and inspiration for sustainable branding. San Francisco, Calif: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Pearse, G. (2014). The Greenwash Effect: Corporate Deception, Celebrity Environmentalists, and What Big Business Isn't Telling You about Their Green Products and Brands. New York: Skyhorse Publishing. Platt, R., Sanfilippo, J., & Whaley, R. (2011).Avoiding the greenwashing effect: Eliminating the hype and delivering eco-friendly business solutions. Norwood, Mass.: The Booksmakers. Pierre, L.K. (2012). Green washed: Why we can't buy our way to a green planet. Brooklyn, NY: IG Pub. Ter10: , (Terrachoice, 2010), Tresidder, R., &Hirst, C. (2012).Marketing in Food, Hospitality, Tourism and Events: A Critical Approach. Oxford: Goodfellow Publishers Ltd. Read More