GreenYour.com

Below is a list of credible, third-party certifications for products and services with advanced environmental performance. Each is described with information gathered from their websites.

	Electronics & Appliances
	(EPEAT) - A system to help purchasers in the public and private sectors evaluate, compare and select desktop computers, notebooks, and monitors based on their environmental attributes.
	ENERGY STAR - A joint program of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices.

	Food & Drink
	Bird Friendly Coffee - Through independent, third-party inspection they determine whether a farm meets organic certification standards as well as if it's 100 percent shade-grown, bird-friendly habitat.
	Certified Vegan - Signifies that products are vegan, defined as containing no animal ingredients or byproducts, using no animal ingredients or byproducts in the manufacturing process, and not tested on animals by any company or independent contractor.
	Demeter Biodynamic - Biodynamic farming is free of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers in the same manner as certified organic farming. In order to qualify for Demeter Biodynamic status a farm must first meet the same 3 year transition requirement that NOP certified organic farming requires. Demeter also requires a careful examination and eventual reduction of the volume of imported materials necessary to sustain the life of the farm.
	Fair Trade Certified - Fair Trade Certification empowers farmers and farm workers to lift themselves out of poverty by investing in their farms and communities, protecting the environment, and developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
	Green Restaurant Association (GRA) - A national nonprofit organization, provides services in research, consulting, education, marketing and community organizing. The GRA utilizes a collaborative strategy that involves restaurants, manufacturers, vendors, grassroots organizations, government, media, and restaurant customers to help the restaurant industry become more environmentally sustainable.
	Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) - The MSC is an independent, global, nonprofit organization whose role is to recognize (via a certification program) well-managed fisheries and to harness consumer preference for seafood products bearing the MSC label of approval.
	Quality Assurance International - A private, professional service corporation developed for the purpose of verifying the authenticity of food, fiber, and other products which are organically certified in every link of the production chain.
	Rainforest Alliance - Rainforest Alliance certification is a comprehensive process that promotes and guarantees improvements in agriculture and forestry. The independent seal of approval ensures that goods and services were produced in compliance with strict guidelines protecting the environment, wildlife, workers, and local communities.
	USDA Organic - The National Organic Program (NOP) develops, implements, and administers national production, handling, and labeling standards for organic agricultural products. The NOP also accredits the certifying agents (foreign and domestic) who inspect organic production and handling operations to certify that they meet USDA standards.

	Pulp & Paper Products
	EcoLogo - A widely recognized and respected certification of environmental leadership, setting standards, and certifying products in more than 120 categories.
	Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) - An international organization that brings people together to find solutions that promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests.
	Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) - A comprehensive system of principles, objectives and performance measures developed by professional foresters, conservationists,scientists, and others that combines the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the longterm protection of wildlife, plants, soil, and water quality.

	Tourism & Travel
	Audubon Green Leaf - Enables any type of accommodation facility, including hotels, motels, resorts, and bed and breakfast facilities to measure their environmental performance in four key areas: energy efficiency, resource conservation, pollution prevention, and environmental management.
	The Sustainable Tourism Eco-certification Program™ (STEP) - This voluntary certification program for tourism businesses that are based out of the US was developed by Sustainable Travel International. Travel companies are rated on the environmental, economic, and social-cultural impacts of their operations.
	The International Ecotourism Society: Travel Choice - Lists eco-tourism operators around the world that have signed the TIES Code of Conduct - meaning they follow a set of principles that assures they operate in a responsible way to preserve the environment in natural areas and protect local cultures.
	Green Globe - Developed in 1993 by the World Travel & Tourism Council, Green Globe certifies eco-responsible travel businesses and destination communities worldwide.
	Blue Flag - Search for over 3,200 beaches and marinas in 37 countries that follow stringent criteria for water quality, environmental education, and safety. The Blue Flag eco-label was developed by the non-profit Foundation for Environmental Education, which consists of members representing 48 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas.
	Green Tourism Business Scheme: Lists hotels, B&Bs and inns in the UK and Europe that are rated bronze, silver or gold (on 120 measures of environmental sustainability).
	California Green Lodging Program: Hotels certified by the state of California as part of its environmentally preferable purchasing program. State and local government employees are encouraged to stay in these when traveling for business.

	Furniture & Furnishings
	EcoLogo - A widely recognized and respected certification of environmental leadership, setting standards and certifying products in more than 120 categories.
	Green Seal - An independent, non-profit organization that provides science-based environmental certification standards to promote the manufacture, purchase, and use of environmentally responsibly products and services.
	GREENGUARD - A third-party product certification program for low emitting interior building materials, furnishings, and finish systems. All GREENGUARD Certified Products have been tested for their chemical emissions performance.
	Cradle to Cradle Certification - Measures achievement in using environmentally safe and healthy materials; design for material reutilization, such as recycling or composting; the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency; efficient use of water, and maximum water quality associated with production; and instituting strategies for social responsibility.

	Clothing
	Öko-Tex Standard 100 - The Öko-Tex 100 Standard comprehensively addresses the Human Ecology component of textile products. It evaluates and screens for any harmful substances present within processed textiles intended to come into contact with consumers.

	Personal Care
	Leaping Bunny - Signifies Corporate Standard of Compassion for Animals, developed by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics, that cosmetic, personal care, and/or household product companies pledge to clear animal testing from all stages of product development. The company's ingredient suppliers make the same pledge resulting in a product guaranteed to be 100 percent free of new animal testing.

	Carpet & Rugs
	Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) Sustainable Choice Certified Carpet Products - This label is based on the Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard, developed by NSF International, a nonprofit that develops standards for public health and safety. The ratings correspond to four levels of certification: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze.
	Green Label and Green Label Plus - The Carpet and Rug Institute, the industry trade association, developed these two labels to focus exclusively on indoor air quality and carpets. The Green Label Plus standard, established in 2004, tests for a wider variety of indoor air hazards than the older Green Label standard.
	Rugmark Foundation - This certification is concerned with child-labor abuses in the imported rug industry and randomly inspects the looms of companies that agree to employ only adults. The Rugmark label is sewn into each certified rug.

	Buildings
	Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) - A third party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Operated by the US Green Building Council, LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. Separate LEED certifications are available for homes, commercial buildings and neighborhoods.
	ENERGY STAR - An ENERGY STAR rating is available for new and existing retrofitted homes. Qualified homes, which can be single-family or multi-family dwellings, must meet four minimum guidelines for energy efficiency set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These homes are at least 15 percent more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code. A separate label—the ENERGY STAR Indoor Air Package—addresses the indoor air quality in homes.
	NAHB Green Home Building Guidelines - The National Association of Home Builders issued these guidelines in 2008 to become an education, verification, and certification program for new homes. The rules were developed in collaboration with the International Code Council and will be written for accreditation from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). There are three levels of certification available: Bronze, Silver, or Gold.