Delta faces lawsuit alleging its "carbon-neutral" claim is greenwashing

A Delta passenger is suing the airline over its claim that it is "carbon-neutral," saying the three-year-old pledge is greenwashing, relying on dubious carbon offsets that have no environmental benefit.

The suit, filed Tuesday in federal court in California, alleges that Delta's claim to be "the world's first carbon-neutral airline" is a sham. Greenwashing refers to a marketing spin that makes it appear that a company or product is environmentally friendly, when it may not be.

Rather than undertaking the hard work of reducing its carbon emissions, the complaint alleges, Delta is buying largely fabricated carbon offsets, while continuing to charge a premium price from travelers who believe they're paying for environmentally friendly travel.