A concern with any third-party certification is that it will sell out to some extent. B Corp risked ruining its good reputation by certifying Nespresso. All things considered, is B Corp certification a good indication of sustainability? Continue reading Does B Corp certified mean ethical?
I will examine the science on whether third-party certifications such as the Marine Stewardship Council, Friend of the Sea and Fair Trade are helpful for consumers seeking responsibly-caught seafood. However, before we look to certifications there are two other important factors that we should consider. Continue reading Are seafood certifications useful? Consider these two steps first!
Industrial agriculture threatens soil integrity and biodiversity. It exacerbates the biggest threat to agriculture – climate change – and also our susceptibility to that threat. Organic agriculture, on the other hand, has lower crop yields and therefore requires more land. So, what’s it to be? Continue reading Certified organic: Should we really support it?
Certifications by reputable, independent organizations are extremely important when governments don’t value the environment and allow corporations to run amok. Certification by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is designed to assure consumers that forestry-related products are produced without causing environmental damage. But is FSC certification effective? Continue reading An evaluation of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification
The level of shade cover is one of the best ways to determine if forest habitats are being maintained. The good news is that shade-tolerant crops such as cacao can tolerate over 30% shade cover with no reduction in crop yield. The bad news is that the Rainforest Alliance standards on shade cover have weakened over the years – 15% cover is now considered adequate. This begs the question: Is the Rainforest Alliance worthy of your support? Continue reading Is Rainforest Alliance an effective certification?
Third-party certifications provide one of the more accessible ways to practice ethical consumption. They provide a means of communicating to the consumer that a corporate supply chain maintains certain social or environmental standards. This topic is highly relevant right now because of the systematic undermining of regulations, environmental protections, human rights, and corporate oversight that is taking place in America. Continue reading Should you support fair trade?
The Green Stars Project 