漂绿（Greenwash）是由「绿色」（green，象征环保）和「漂白」（whitewash）合成的一个新词。用来说明一家公司、政府或是组织以某些行为或行动宣示自身对环境保护的付出但实际上却是反其道而行。这个词最初在1990年代初期开始使用，最为人所知的就是在1991年3月和4月间的一本名为《Mother Jones》的左翼杂志中的文章标题而声名大噪。

漂绿一词通常被用在描述一家公司或单位投入可观的金钱或时间在以环保为名的形象广告上，而非将资源投注在实际的环保实务中。通常是为产品改名或是改造形象，像是把一片森林的影像放在一瓶有害的化学物上。环保人士经常用“漂绿”来形容长久以来一直是最大污染者的能源公司。

Greenwashing (a compound word modelled on "whitewash"), or "green sheen," is a form of spin in which green PR or green marketing is deceptively used to promote the pe****tion that an organization's products, aims or policies are environmentally friendly. Evidence that an organization is greenwashing often comes from pointing out the spending differences: when significantly more money or time has been spent advertising being "green" (that is, operating with consideration for the environment), than is actually spent on environmentally sound practices. Greenwashing efforts can range from changing the name or label of a product to evoke the natural environment on a product that contains harmful chemicals to multimillion dollar advertising campaigns portraying highly polluting energy companies as eco-friendly. In an academic paper Greenwashing has been defined as "co-creation of an external accusation toward an organization with regard to presenting a misleading green message", indicating that an accusation is necessary to speak of Greenwashing.