BP greenwashing preceded monumental Gulf disaster

The oil that is currently spewing directly from a BP well in the Gulf of Mexico is vastly more toxic than oil spilled in previous tanker-leaked oil disasters. However, BP has historically spun its corporate image to convince the consuming public that it prioritizes ecological interests. That practice --termed "greenwashing" -involves making misleading claims about the environmental benefits of a product or company. But the Gulf disaster brings ecological toxicity to unprecedented levels.

Radio Netherlands reports that the environmental disaster in the Gulf is unprecedented, not only for the volume of oil being released but also because this oil contains substances that are normally removed from oil in tanker transport. The Gulf leak contains PAKs, substances similar to the black smut found on barbeques that are carcinogenic and dissolve in water. The leaking oil also contains lethal "volatile substances like toluene and benzene that kill fish, plankton and mussels."

The report calls it "a disaster the like of which has never been seen before." The monumental ecological disaster in the Gulf, unprecedented in human history, flows in the wake of BP greenwashing and even as a greenwashing by-product.

In July of 2000 British Petroleum launched a high-profile, $200 million public relations ad campaign portraying the company as environmentally-friendly. It introduced a new slogan, "Beyond Petroleum," and changed its traditional logo to a new green and yellow flower-like sunburst.

"BP is still trying to greenwash its image. Its Web pages are filled with bogus statements, like "We try to work in ways that will benefit the communities and habitats where we do business -- and earn the world's respect," says Anne Landmann on PRWatch.org.

So when, on December 22, 2008, Greenpeace announced the first winner of their new annual Emerald Paintbrush award "for greenwashing above and beyond the call of duty," they awarded it to BP.

Perhaps the first disaster was swallowing BP's public relations spin.

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ABOUT THE VIDEOS

Video #1: Greenpeace awards BP its Emerald Paintbrush award in 2008, recording the moment in this mini mocumentary. BP is underwhelmed at the distinction.

Video #2: Satire of a BP public relations commercial, believed to originally have aired on the CBC show This Hour Has 22 MinutesThis Hour Has 22 Minutes. It illustrates the public relations twists that "whitewash" environmentally questionable companies, painting them as "green."