Green Washing

Guests at Hyatt Hotels find an information card on the bathroom counter. The heading is the old activist slogan, "Think Globally. Act Locally." The text informs the guest that "linens and towels washed daily by hotels worldwide use millions of gallons of fresh water and add tons of detergents to our environment." Fortunately, as part of its "ongoing commitment to improving the environment," Hyatt will now change bed linens and towels only once every three days. Making sure to drive home the good feelings, the card concludes, "Together we can make a difference." And of course, it sports a recycling logo with the caption, "Printed on recycled paper and laminated to reduce waste."