It's not always easy to know who's truly green and who's only sort of green...and who's not green at all. There are so many issues to consider when shopping for eco-friendly goods and services. Is the material organic or sustainably produced? Are the dyes used to make the t-shirt natural? Is the coffee fairly traded? How far did those shoes have to travel to get to your local shoe store? Etc.

Because there are no universal standards for such terms as "eco-friendly," "organic," "sustainable," "fair trade," and "green," here's a list of organizations who are trying to identify companies dedicated to helping the planet.

The information below is excerpted from each organization's web site. You can visit each site listed by clicking on "more."

Fair Trade Certified

"The Fair Trade Certified™ label guarantees consumers that strict economic, social and environmental criteria were met in the production and trade of an agricultural product. Fair Trade Certification is currently available in the U.S. for coffee, tea and herbs, cocoa and chocolate, fresh fruit, flowers, sugar, rice, and vanilla. TransFair USA licenses companies to display the Fair Trade Certified label on products that meet strict international Fair Trade standards.

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"...more

Fair Trade Federation

"The Fair Trade Federation (FTF) is the trade association that strengthens and promotes North American organizations fully committed to fair trade. The Federation is part of the global fair trade movement, building equitable and sustainable trading partnerships and creating opportunities to alleviate poverty." ...more

One Percent for the Planet

"1% for the Planet exists to build and support an alliance of businesses financially committed to creating a healthy planet." ...more

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." ...more

Organic Trade Association

"The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for the organic industry in North America. OTA’s mission is to promote and protect organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public, and the economy. OTA envisions organic products becoming a significant part of everyday life, enhancing people's lives and the environment.

OTA represents businesses across the organic supply chain and addresses all things organic, including food, fiber/textiles, personal care products, and new sectors as they develop. Over sixty percent of OTA trade members are small businesses."...more

Green Seal

"Founded in 1989, Green Seal provides science-based environmental certification standards that are credible, transparent, and essential in an increasingly educated and competitive marketplace. Our industry knowledge and standards help manufacturers, purchasers, and end users alike make responsible choices that positively impact business behavior and improve quality of life.

A 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, Green Seal issued its first environmental standards in 1991-2, and the first product certifications were completed in 1992. Hundreds of products and services from major companies such as 3M, Benjamin Moore, and Andersen Windows have now been certified to meet Green Seal standards, and the number of major product categories covered by standards has increased to more than 40.

Today, we have established a significant market among large institutional purchasers, including government agencies, universities, and the lodging and architectural building industries. We actively advise and assist these institutions and industry sectors in their efforts to green their purchasing, operations, and facilities management functions."...more

LEED Buildling

"LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system,   providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions."...more

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