Chicago, IL 6/16/2010 9:26:10 PM
Voting with Green Dollars
Smart spending promotes Green Business
How can Green business exist as a good business? The Organic Trade Association reported a 17% increase in organic produce in 2008. The Green Consumer Index also reports a growth trend in 2008. There is a serious need for a credible Green business certification.
Green Businesses should be reviewed for these basic issues:
- Green Practices: Does the business promote Green practices in the operation?
- Certification: Is the certification believable, or was it bought over the Internet?
- Audited Review: Is there an independent audit based on a national standard?
The OTA index a continued upward trend over the past quarter, from 102.8 to 106.5, a 3.6 percent increase over three months.
Businesses are eager to share in the promise of the Green movement. It has been suggested that there is a 37% increase in favorable opinion of Green businesses. The growth of Green advertising tends to support the fact that Going Green is a smart business decision that also provides a credible Green program.
The buying public is being constantly encouraged to "Think Green." The motto of the Green Business League is a bold statement "Be Green, Buy Green, and Hire Green." The EPA promotes a program called "Environmentally Preferred Purchasing." A series of presidential executive orders starting with George H. Bush also includes Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama that has required government agencies to buy from Green vendors (See Federal Acquisition Regulations).
The public can do more than vote in the upcoming November elections. They can vote with where they spend their dollars. Believe me, every business is watching for spending trends. These are what might be termed "Green Dollars." Will the economy may be strained, the decision about where to spend your dollars is still of vital importance. By the way, it is more than buying Green products. It is buying from Green companies. We find that even companies building windmills or selling energy efficient appliances may not be operating as a Green business in their own practices.
The Green Business League is the leader in a nationally recognized Green business certification. In fact, there are now several divisions of the Green Business League. They are:
Whenever you see the Green Business League seal on the door of a business, these companies deserve your patronage and frankly spending your dollars with these businesses is truly a vote with your "Green Dollars." Only the Green Business League has more than 350 Certified Green Consultant to assist businesses with their Green and sustainability planning. This is not an area or community program with diverse standards and compliance rules. Certification by a national organization carries weight and allows a business to have wider appeal.
The public is warned to avoid businesses that participate in greenwashing tactics like buying a Green certification online. Dozens of website programs will pass out their Green certification logo to absolute strangers if the business pays the required fee. One of the best ways to find out is to ask the question, "How did you get your Green business certification?" The answer may scare you because many businesses use these phony website logos to mislead the public. There was no audit, no professional ever visited the business, and no questions were asked except by a website questionnaire. Check these credentials out. If any company willing to pay the money can sign up, let that vendor know that they are greenwashing and take your Green Dollars elsewhere.
