Certification: Why is it Important for Economic Transformation

1. Certification: Why is it Important for Economic Transformation Donald Fournier

2. Economic Transformation • Certification – The Green Umbrella • Avoidance of Greenwashing • Aspects of sustainability with energy and water

3. The Green Umbrella • In today’s world, branding is an important aspect of one’s business. • How you are perceived by your customers and clients is relevant and important. • Certification brands your business as environmentally friendly and socially conscious.

4. Greenwashing • Environmental awareness continues to increase. • Unfortunately, Greenwashing – false or misleading green marketing claims – have increased right along with the awareness. • This results in misleading of customers and the creation of cynicism and doubt about real environmental issues and progress.

5. The Sins of Greenwashing* • Hidden Trade-Offs • No Proof • Vagueness • Irrelevance • Fibbing • Lesser of Two Evils *TerraChoice Environmental Marketing, Nov 2007

6. Sins of Greenwashing • Hidden Trade-offs: • Suggests a product is green based on one attribute, ignoring other more important issues. • Examples: office technology hyping energy efficiency while ignoring resources such as toner and paper usage. • No Proof: • No easily accessible supporting information and no third party verification. • Examples: claimed recycled content with no proof.

7. Sins of Greenwashing • Vagueness: • Broad and poorly defined claims or those that may be misunderstood. • Examples: “Chemical-free”, “Non-toxic”, “All Natural”, and “Clean Coal”. • Irrelevance: • Environmental claims that may be truthful but are unimportant or unhelpful to those seeking green products and services. • Examples: CFC-free (CFCs have been banned for 30 years).

8. Sins of Greenwashing • Fibbing: • Making environmental claims that are simply false. • Examples: “Certified Organic”, but not really or “Energy Star” registered, but cheated in the test. • Lesser of Two Evils: • Claims may true, bit distract the consumer from the greater environmental impact of the product or service. • Examples: Organic Cigarettes and “Green” Insecticides or Herbicides.

9. The Cure: Certification • Clear public standards using a broad spectrum of analyses. • Third party verification. • Ongoing surveillance with continuous improvement. • Brand recognition.

10. Sustainability and Energy & Water • The sustainability spectrum addresses social aspects, environment, and economics. • Your energy and water usage impinges on all three: • Emissions and impacts (on-site and off-site) • Resource consumption (non-renewables) • Business costs • Electric power uses about 600-800 gal/MWH. NREL Mar 2011

11. Commercial Sector Energy Usage • In 2010, the Illinois commercial sector spent $6,527,500,000 on energy: • $6,000,000 for coal, • $217,000,000 for oil products, • $1,732,600,000 for natural gas, • And $4,566,800,000 for electricity. • SEDAC analyses have shown typical energy savings of 15 to 30 percent.

12. AWRA, Sehlke & Compana, Nov 2011

14. Energy/Water Nexus • Water consumption includes energy: • Water treatment uses ~2-4 kWh/MG. • Waste water treatment uses ~2-3 kWh/MG. • Reducing both energy and water usage leads to synergistic effects. • As a society we get savings from both and as individuals, we get cost effective approaches to improving our business and the economy.