A form of "greenwashing," "bee-washing" is corporate PR/spin showing concern for bees!
Ever since Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) was publicized in 2006-2007, bee declines have been in the news. People are concerned. And so, corporations were soon to follow with 'save the bees' campaigns.
"Bee-washing" is spin. Just like 'green' PR, designed to convey environmental friendliness, 'bee-friendly' PR is designed to help a corporation's image, sometimes deflecting from larger corporate practices or products that hurt bees.
Ha!!!
The term "bee-washing" was coined a few years ago after Monsanto, the massive agribusiness selling genetically modified seed and farm chemicals, bought the largest bee research company studying CCD. Since that time, let's just say the overuse of chemicals in agriculture is no longer considered the number one cause of bee die-offs, according to Monsanto and friends.