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Green, green, green. Like a flock of hungry seagulls, businesses are screeching “green” in advertisements and PR events around the world. Unfortunately, with that comes a good deal of greenwashing, or companies painting the illusion of green to sell a product or re-brand but in reality working very little toward sustainability.

Doubly unfortunate for truly green business is the competitive advantage these greenwashing tactics have over genuine ones. Some examples: BP’s now infamous green-and-yellow sunflower and “Beyond Petroleum” slogan or McDonald’s localwashing billboards. Such companies appear green but spend little or none of the time and cost to really go green, giving them the advantage, when by all rights it should be the real green businesses getting the recognition and the consumers.

So how do green businesses get the competitive edge and karmic rewards associated with green business tactics? Certification. The trend toward product and business certification is strong and growing fast. Avenues for certification, from LEED points (for the green construction process) to Green Seal (for the end product), are popping up all over the world.

Eco-minded consumers are increasingly aware that you can’t trust phrases like “all-natural” or “earth-friendly” without further investigation anymore. That fact is beginning to give green businesses the edge they deserve and facilitating a rise in independent certification programs. Here are some examples:

• U.S. Green Building Council, LEED certification for energy efficiency improvements to the building that houses the businesses.
• Institute for Green Business Certification
• Green Business League
• EcoLogo and Green Seal certify eco-friendly products
• Green-e certifies businesses and products incorporating renewable energy
• Scientific Certification Systems certifies green businesses in the agricultural, manufacturing and electricity fields
• Energy Star certifies appliances and recognizes business partners that produce energy efficient products
• USDA Organic, how green produce growers get their products sold

These examples alone cover nearly all types of products and businesses. These sites are easily accessible to anyone with an internet connection and are expanding as more consumers use the resources at their fingertips to make eco-friendly purchases from certified green businesses. With certification comes the right to carry these organizations’ eco-labels—a valuable sales pitch for consumers walking down store aisles or browsing advertisements and websites.

The trend toward eco-labeling is far from over. Indeed, it is still evolving. We’ve already seen the green building industry move from Energy Star alone to include LEED, and now it’s evolving further to better represent life-cycle assessment (LCA) in LEED ratings. Even Wal-Mart is creating its own eco-label to illustrate the eco-friendliness of products on its shelves. And when the nation’s largest retailer is developing its own eco-label, as well as demanding that its suppliers calculate the environmental impact of their products, who could say straight-faced that the trend is a passing one?

Indeed, the competitive edge of the future will go to certified green businesses. Now, all we have to do is maintain transparency and independence among budding eco-labeling organizations.

Greenwash photo via WebEcoist

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Some of the green alternatives that can help you get good gas mileage include keeping your tire pressures at optimal levels and having regular tune-ups. You might not be able to buy a newer, more energy efficient automobile today, but you can still help protect the environment.

Conversion kits are available that allow people to changethe fuel that their vehicles run on. Practically any vehicle can be converted to run on electricity, although the conversion kits are expensive and the battery packs are bulky.

The best vehicle types for converting to electric are small cars, such as a Volkswagen or small pickup truck. Electricity may not be able to power a larger vehicle up a big hill.

You will always need some kind of backup energy supply, because the batteries will run down. Different options are available for extending the mileage, but for long trips, electric cars are really not feasible.

One of the newest green alternatives to help you get good gas mileage with your present vehicle, regardless of the make or model, is a conversion kit that allows you to run mostly on water. Estimates vary, but on the average, people are able to save on their fuel bills by at least 50% by converting to water.

In addition to getting good gas mileage, people that have made the change are saving on maintenance and their vehicles run better. Water is simply cleaner than gasoline and, of course, there are fewer emissions.

Green alternatives are not always so appealing. Walking or taking the bus is not always a good experience. What are you supposed to do on rainy or snowy days?

Unlike the battery packs required for electric vehicles, you can create a seemingly endless amount of power from a device smaller than a shoebox. The process has been demonstrated on YouTube and on a variety of different TV shows. If you haven’t seen it, you don’t know what you are missing.

We have used water to create electricity for many years. Environmentalists have encouraged large communities to take advantage of the power of the waves and the wind. Some people think there is some kind of conspiracy, involving the oil companies, because electric vehicles were available decades ago. Yet, the technology was never completely utilized.

You don’t have to wait on some big company to bring you the technology that allows you to run your vehicle on water, instead of gasoline. It’s already here. Instead of getting good gas mileage, you will cut your fuel bills by more than you ever dreamed possible.

Choosing green alternatives in everything that you do will help to reduce our dependency on foreign oil and help save the planet for future generations. You can start now, by learning how to make the switch to water, instead of gasoline.

Guest Writer Anja Atkinson from Solar Home Review
Is your home leaking money? OK yes, that’s a silly way of putting it, but essentially, if your home is not optimized for energy efficiency, you’ve got money-leaking problems. An energy-smart home not only saves you money, but is the foundation upon which a [...]