Corporate buyers: it's not easy judging green

The latest bit of environmental news that’s caught my eye is an article in the Detroit News about some business executives calling for greater guidance on determine which products and services are truly green. As a follower of green technology and sustainability news, I too find it confusing to sort through the various organizations and labels involved with green product, so it’s a bit reassuring to hear that some high-powered business executives feel a similar sense of confusion.

A quick search of the Internet finds multiple organizations involved in green product certifications, including Green Seal and the Carbon Fund. There are many others as well–as noted in the Detroit News article. Perhaps only with building projects–where the LEED program from the U.S. Green Building Council dominates–is there little confusion as to what the top standard to shoot for is. Imagine how confused one would feel if instead of a common Energy Star rating for appliances to look for when buying that new refrigerator, there were a half-dozen organizations who bestowed appliance efficiency ratings.

The point of the business leaders in the news article is well taken. Perhaps there should be an overarching “green product council,” or at least a central place to assess the various certifications for broad classes of products or services. In the meantime, it behooves both manufacturers and consumers to closely examine who is certifying a product as green, and how rigorous the specifications are.  Part of what’s tough about being green is that it’s hard to judge if the products you buy are really all that green.