Residents in Laval, Quebec, and its surrounding area got a pleasant surprise recently when they received the latest copy of their Yellow Pages™ directory. The directory includes the new ecoFinder section, which aims to bring together green buyers and sellers.

Yellow Pages Group (YPG) launched this pilot project in response to the growing trend in responsible consumption and to a recent survey demonstrating a high level of interest among Quebec residents for this type of reference tool. The purpose of the new ecoFinder section is to promote businesses that offer environmentally-preferable products or services or who have leading environmental operational practices.

Annie Marsolais, Director of Corporate Communications for YPG expresses the mission of the ecoFinder section: “we want to provide consumers with the most accurate resource to make informed purchasing decisions that contribute to environmental sustainability.”

TerraChoice helped develop the screening criteria used by YPG to identify companies that qualified for the ecoFinder section. The criteria included existing third-party certifications such as EcoLogo and Energy Star®.

Of the 40 categories identified for the ecoFinder section, here is a sampling of what you can expect to find: Ecotourism, Landscaping Products & Services, and Clothing, Footwear & Fashion Accessories. Businesses that were selected within these categories offer the following: sustainable hostelling practices, organic farming methods, greener products, and more.

If you’re a Canadian resident living in York or Ottawa, Ontario; Burnaby, New Westminster or Vancouver, British-Columbia; or Montreal, Quebec, keep your eye out for the ecoFinder section in your local Yellow Pages™ directory over the next few months.

And as the people at YPG like to remind us, don’t forget to recycle your old Yellow Pages™ directory.

Clean Edge and Co-op America recently released a report that suggests solar power could reach one-tenth of the U.S. energy supply by the year 2025, as posted on GreenBiz.com.

The Utility Solar Assessment (USA) Study finds that in order to truly increase solar power usage in the U.S., utilities will be required to play a more active role. Utilities are asked to take advantage of solar power, especially during peak periods when grid congestion is high, and to develop new business models to adapt to these new market realities. 

The report identifies solar companies and regulators and policy makers as other key stakeholders in delivering solar energy. Solar energy companies are tasked with streamlining processes such as installation and making technology more user-friendly. Regulators and policy makers are told they must make significant, long-term investments as well as production tax credits for solar and other renewable energies.

Here at TerraChoice, our science team is reviewing the EcoLogo criteria for renewable, low-impact electricity, which includes solar, wind, water, biomass and biogas-fueled systems. We’re also looking into geothermal as well as tidal and ocean energies as additions to this list. 

GreenBiz.com also remarks on how solar power is quickly becoming a cost-effective alternative to fossil fuel-based energy sources. That certainly peaked our interest. Download the USA Study from SolarCatalyst.org and stay tuned for more EcoLogo renewable, low-impact electricity news and for information on how to participate in this category’s review process.

When we, at TerraChoice, released the report called The Six Sins of Greenwashingä last year, we never could have imagined the response it would receive. We soon became aware that the world was watching. And possibly even more significant was a distinct rumbling arising from the coverage that was streaming in. It appears our Six Sins study hit a nerve and was sparking dialogue about a growing skepticism around “green” products.

For those of you not familiar with our Six Sins report, we recently conducted an in-store survey of product-specific environmental claims found on 1,018 products from six North American retailers. A staggering number of more than 99 per cent of products surveyed were found to be sporting deceptive “green” marketing claims. We found patterns that helped us classify these false or misleading marketing claims into six categories (click here to view the report).

Since its release, GreenBiz.com has reported that the Six Sins study was one of the major environmental stories of 2007. Online coverage was astounding and radio and television was quick to follow. The global reach has been observed in articles published in India, Australia and across North America.People around the world are buzzing about products on the “green” market. This heightened interest in the environment has revealed consumer skepticism and savvy around environmental marketing claims. If left unchecked, this kind of distrust of environmental marketing claims has the potential to hurt the planet and the market share for truly environmentally preferable products. TerraChoice’s President and CEO Scott McDougall has termed this trend the “Seventh Lesson of the Six Sins.” Read more about the warnings issued from this seventh lesson in our latest issue of EcoMarketer and stay tuned for advice on honest and effective eco-marketing.

As temperatures gradually rise around the globe, some countries are leading the way in finding sustainable business solutions to help tackle the climate crisis.

Leaders from the government, corporate and not-for-profit sectors met in Canberra, Australia, this past May for the 9^th annual National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development to talk about recent accomplishments and developments in green biz. The Honourable Kevin Rudd MP, Prime Minister of Australia, gave the keynote address at the Forum, where the aim was to accelerate uptake of sustainable practices and facilitate partnerships in this endeavour. (Notable speakers from previous forums include former Vice President and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Al Gore and renowned primatologist Jane Goodall.)  A keynote speaker at this year’s forum, President and Chief Executive Officer of TerraChoice Environmental Marketing Scott McDougall spoke about the threats “greenwashing” poses to business and environmental policy, but also about the opportunities this presents to marketers. 

“If greenwashing goes unmitigated, this will be a great loss for business and the planet,” says Scott. “There are, however, significant informative and honest environmental claims that marketers can use to continue building great relationships with consumers.”

To read more about the National Business Leaders Form, visit www.nblf.com.au, and click here for tips on how to avoid “greenwashing.”