Green Labels– Mark of Sustainability or Marketing Tool?

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it ain't easy being green

While “certified green labels” used as a mark of sustainable practices are familiar sites on many of the items we purchase, it is important to note that often these labels are used as marketing tools.  Theoretically, eco-labels were “designed to elevate products with higher environmental protection standards than the government requires for the status quo.” [1]

 

Perhaps a major issue with “certified green labels” is that their profits drive approval.  Over the past few years, we have witnessed an increased market demand for “green” or “sustainable” products.  Any business that promotes a product as green or certifies a product as sustainable potentially stands to make a huge financial gain by maintaining recognition in its industry as a “green” company or by consistently introducing new “sustainable” products into the market.  Additionally, increasing demand for green products creates the untended result of lowering standards for the award of green labels so as to fulfill the demand, thereby saturating the market with suspect products. Read More →

Green Jobs for Graduates

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We have reached the midway point of summer, and hopefully many of this year’s recent graduates have found some type of employment. For those still looking or for individuals who have part-time jobs to hold them over, now is the time to get creative. The green movement is an olympic drive great way to go. This movement holds many untapped opportunities for job seekers. Green technology businesses are growing at a rapid rate to accommodate the demand for clean energy, especially through solar and wind power companies. This job sector needs employees in all fields, including, but not limited to engineers, ecologists, policy planners and writers, graphic artists, and individuals with business and financial specialties. A good website for information and job listings is www.ecoemploy.com.
There also are job opportunities for marketing specialists in the green industries. A perusal of several websites lists opportunities for green marketing representatives and business managers, clean energy political organizers and media and marketing specialists, just to name a few. These listings are for jobs all over the country and range from entry-level to mid-level positions. To secure a position in this market sector, graduates and mid-level professionals must think out of the box and be willing to relocate to the sites of these opportunities. A good starting place for listings of these job opportunities is www.sustainability.com.
A green job represents a great opportunity for graduates. This job sector is committed to the preservation of a healthy environment through smart living and consistently is on the cutting edge of technology, presenting great opportunities for further education and career advancement. Most importantly, these jobs really give its employees a reason to work as these are the organizations and people who really are making a difference. Green jobs are not just about a paycheck. Rather they are leading a movement to live green, be green.