ECO-Promising

In today's market, the consumer awareness of a company's environmental impact have a huge affect on the company's reputation and success. It is only in the past 50 years that there has been a popular concern for the effect of products on the environment and as a result of this, companies must ensure their consumers that they are aware and promoting a healthy environment in order to stay competitive in the market. Many companies use their advertisements to persuade consumers that they are an "environmentally-friendly" company; however, it is not always clear how accurate the claims they make are.

There are however, many 3rd parties that certify the authenticity of their claims. Some examples of these organizations are EnergyStar, Green Seal, Marine Stewardship Council, and many more. There are also Web Sites that direct you to companies who are supposed to be environmentally aware.

I have included some examples of companies who promote their product as environmentally aware.

Clean Spirited is an example of a company that does a great job of advertising and providing information to their customers about the sustainability of their products. They provide detailed explanations of what exactly their company does to help the environment, and just exactly how the customers play a role in their endeavors. They also include a list of 3rd parties that have certified their products, so the customer can be sure that they are truly getting a product that is certified to be environmentally safe. 

Lav and Kush is an example of a company that does a poor job of showing the authenticity of their sustainability claims. On their website, they use a lot of fluffy language to talk about the fabric they use. They describe their clothing as "eco-luxurious" "eco-friendly" and "eco-conscious", however they have no certification that they are actual products created sustainability. 

A standardization of certification on products needs to be enforced. This would force companies to provide evidence of their actual environmental claims so that the consumer can be assured they are spending their money on products that are not harming the environment. Some companies would be hurt by this standardization, because it would take a way a good amount of their salability. However, it would also bring about a new competition in the market, and would challenge companies to seriously consider their environmental impact and work on real ways to improve their products while helping protect the earth.