9.7.2. Green Seal and Other Seals of Approval

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Founded in 1989, Green Seal is the nonprofit organization that awards the Green Seal of Approval to products that it finds less harmful to the environment. The organization develops a set of standards for each product category it studies. Categories are chosen according to the significance of their associated environmental impact and their range of products. Products within a category are then studied to determine their impacts on the environment in their various stages of production, use, and disposal. After public review and comment, Green Seal adopts a standard. Standard criteria vary across categories but may include reduction of toxic chemical pollution, improved energy efficiency, protection of water resources, minimization of impacts on fish and wildlife and their habitats, efficient use of natural resources, protection of the ozone layer, and prevention of global warming. Products are not subjected to a complete life-cycle analysis but rather judged according to those aspects of the life cycle with the most significant environmental impact. Standards are reviewed at least once every three years.

Manufacturers pay product evaluation fees to apply for the Green Seal mark, and accepted products are also subject to annual monitoring fees. The fees vary according to the product category and size and number of manufacturing facilities. The Green Seal mark for approved products appears with an explanation of the basis for certification.

The organization has published environmental standards or criteria for about 25 types of products. Its list of certified products contains central air conditioning systems (1 brand), architec-tural coatings (2 brands), cleaning products (1 brand), compact fluorescent lamps (5 brands), recycled paper (5 brands), recycled newsprint (1 brand), re-refined engine oil (3 brands), reusable bags (3 models), showerheads (four models), toilets (2 brands), watering hoses (several models), one manufacturer's line of windows and doors, and one brand each of unbleached coffee filters, baking cups, and parchment.

Besides labeling, Green Seal helps market environmentally friendly products in several ways. A list of certified products is included in a catalog with product information and addresses and phone numbers of product vendors. "Choose Green Reports" are available on topics such as "Environmentally Preferable Printing" and energy-efficient lighting, computers, and other office equipment. Organizations that agree to purchase environmentally friendly products, reduce waste, and increase recycling are eligible for the Green Seal Environmental Partners mark. This mark can be placed on reports, letterhead, and store signs.

The incentive effects of Green Seal's activities appear not to have been comprehensively studied. In a Green Seal survey, however, 4 of 5 consumers said they would be more likely to purchase a Green Seal-certified product than other products of equal quality and price (Harris and Casey-McCabe, p. 8).

Some retailers have adopted labeling schemes for products they find environmentally friendly. In 1989, for example, Wal-Mart created a program under which shelves were labeled to indicate that their products were environmentally friendly. Wal-Mart ended this program in 1992, mainly because of difficulties in determining the criteria for environmental friendliness and in assessing manufacturers' environmental claims.

Wal-Mart's experience illustrates one of the main problems encountered by environmental seal-of-approval schemes: lack of agreed-upon criteria for assessing environmental friendliness. While seals of approval may be relatively easy for consumers to understand, they risk not only lacking agreed-upon standards but also oversimplifying complex environmental issues. Menell (1995) cites a number of cases in which the environmental friendliness assessments necessary for labeling are difficult. For example, a study of the environmental impacts of disposable cups found that wax-coated paperboard was preferable to polystyrene on the grounds of reduced volumes of solid waste generation but inferior in the areas of energy consumption, air emissions, water pollution, and weight of solid waste generation. Disposable diapers generate more solid waste than cloth diapers, but they also use less water and result in less water pollution. Another study (cited by Menell) found that the environmental impacts of washing machines depend less on the model of the machine than on how it is used.

9.7.2. Green Seal and Other Seals of Approval

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