Greenpeace and the Sierra Club are teaming up to fight greenwashing – the obfuscation of environmentally responsible measures that prevents real environmental improvements. They are launching “Greenwash Action” through the Earth Island Institute, best known for its “Dolphin Safe” labeling of tuna sold in the U.S.

Though the project plans to tackle all forms of greenwashing, its primary goal is to defend the discredited Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building standards, which it claims are under a sustained greenwash attack. “Greenwash Action,” it explains, “will intervene strategically to help win these battles… [and] take direct action to challenge the special interests and defend true environmental leadership” like LEED.

But, LEED itself is greenwashing! LEED standards are environmental in name only. In practice, LEED buildings are no more energy efficient than conventional buildings, as comparison after comparison shows. For example, a recent study showed that LEED buildings in Washington D.C. are less energy efficient than conventional buildings, not to mention the fact that they cost thousands of dollars more. LEED standards, therefore, only serve to obfuscate true environmental progress – i.e. greenwash. Greenwash Action, thus, defends the very thing it purports to expose.

Furthermore, Earth Island Institute’s signature work – the certification of so-called dolphin safe tuna – could also be considered greenwashing. The whole process runs on the honor system. Even the institute’s own Associate Director, Mark Palmer, admitted that the institute does not verify fishing captains’ self-certifications that no dolphins were hurt. Without verification, dolphin safe labelling is meaningless and simply greenwashes robust and truthful environmental labels and campaigns.

Such hypocrisy elicits little faith that Greenwash Action will succeed in its goal of clarifying environmental issues. Like LEED, it will only muddy the debate further. But perhaps that’s big green’s goal. The more complicated the issue of environmentalism becomes, the more power big green has as the authority on the matter.