Are Environmentalists The Biggest GreenWashers?

According to Wikipedia (at least as of today), Greenwashing (green whitewash) is the practice of companies, activists, NGOs and/or governments disingenuously spinning their products and policies as environmentally friendly, such as by presenting cost cuts as reductions in use of resources.

As strange as it sounds many NGOs and Activists DO USE Greenwash as a tool to push agendas such as the Washington DC plastic bag tax. The following is an example of how facts were changed to help lobby for a bag tax in Washington D.C. and taxes and bans in other areas.

Many environmental NGOs claim that: “About 100,000 animals such as dolphins, turtles whales, penguins are killed every year due to plastic bags.” … I would challenge you to find one scientific study (not a quote) that shows this to be a fact.


I give you the Surfrider Foundation with a stated missions to lobby for bag taxes and bans. In their literature they state:

“100,000 marine animals are killed annually by entanglement in marine debris such as plastic bags.”

Yet they have no study to show it as fact. Some how in light of their undocumented claim they are allowed to promote their Faux science to politicians, innocent citizens and even schools under the umbrellas of authority and expertise that their 501 c 3 status gives them in public eyes.

Here I would like to highlight that I can show you two mainstream sites that show it is all fiction…

The Australian Government's Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts said the following:

‘A figure of 100,000 marine animals killed annually has been widely quoted by environmental groups; this figure was from a study in Newfoundland which estimated the number of animals entrapped by plastic debris in that area from a four-year period from 1981-84′

–this shows how the often quoted comment is out of control and based on a study that referenced abandoned nylon fishing nets from before plastic bags were in widespread use.

But wait there is more…the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) replied to the following question:

“Is it true that 100,000 marine mammals and/or sea turtles die each year due to marine debris/plastics/plastic bags?”

…with this answer:

“Origin of plastic bag statement: We were able to find no information to support this statement. An erroneous statement attributing these figures to plastic bags was published in a 2002 report published by the Australian Government; it was corrected in 2006. See the 2002 report published by Environment Australia entitled, “Plastic Shopping Bags – Analysis of Levies and Environmental Impacts” or click here.

In 2006, Environment Canada recanted the statement “A figure of 100,000 marine animals killed annually has been widely quoted by environmental groups; this was from a study in Newfoundland which estimated the number of animals entrapped by plastic bags in that area from a four-year period from 1981-1984” and replaced it with “A figure of 100,000 marine animals killed annually has been widely quoted by environmental groups; this was from a study in Newfoundland which estimated the number of animals entrapped by plastic debris in that area from a four-year period from 1981-1984.”

The original study cited by Environment Canada, and thus, Environment Australia, is:
Piatt, J.F. and D.N. Nettleship. 1987. Incidental catch of marine birds and mammals in fishing nets off Newfoundland, Canada. Marine Pollution Bulletin 18(6B): 344-349.”

So the question is…did the Surfrider Foundation use Greenwash and other NGO as a tool to impose the Washington D.C. bag tax? Only the public can decide and Karma will likely prevail if they have. If so I hope the public quickly does calls them on their heavy handed taxation lobby tactics.

They have already claim success for taxing Washington D.C. It is only a matter of time before they use Faux science to tax other communities...on their own DC website they claim responsibility for our tax:

"We have a law! The Anacostia River Cleanup and Protection Act has passed the DC Council, unanimously! Thanks to all the volunteers who stood outside grocery stores, staffed cleanups, signed postcards, attended hearings, and made dozens of calls and e-mails!"