Fred Wilson, a seasoned investor in neat companies like Etsy, has found the ECO-SAFE Merit Badge and placed it on his famous blog. We think it looks right at home on his website and we’re excited to see people like Fred using his voice to change the world.

Click here to read his kind words

Thanks Fred :o)

The heads of AMV BBDO, JWT, Ogilvy, RKCR/Y&R and Saatchi & Saatchi have told the FT they believe green advertising will grow in the next 12 months. All were in the top six UK agencies by gross income in the most recent industry report by Willott Kingston Smith, the leading advertising auditing firm.

The agencies say environmental branding has risen up boards’ agendas, and point to the spate of recent rival green announcements in the grocery retail sector. Farah Ramzan Golant, chief executive of AMV, said: “We’re at a tipping point. I really believe we are going to see more of this.”

Advertisers that make green claims for products and services however face unprecedented public scrutiny, particularly from bloggers and other web users.

Some experts warn those that unveil unpersuasive or me-too initiatives on carbon neutrality or sustainable sourcing, for instance, will see little benefit.

At best they would not receive the free press coverage some announcements had enjoyed but would have to use paid-for marketing to persuade sceptics. At worse they could suffer a backlash if their claims proved wrong or inconsistent. -source: www.ft.com

Without sounding like we’re tooting our own horn, this gives answers as to why the ECO-SAFE Merit Badge program has seen such growth. The conversion increases have been so high we’ve even thought something was wrong.

This feedback and data supports the powerful shift going on in our culture, consumers are much more green savvy and green hungry than our wildest dreams.

New Methods of Going Green Are Turning Up Everywhere

By now the writing is on the wall, global warning is no longer just a debate, it’s a reality. The price of oil is at an all-time high. Costs of other energy sources are also skyrocketing. In addition, the air we breathe is rapidly becoming more and more polluted. Unless we all change our ways, climate change and pollution will become even more pronounced with devastating affects.

While there are serious problems abound when looking at the current situation, there is hope. Fueled by ambitious entrepreneurs, scientists, and researchers, new technology and ideas are being brought forth into the mainstream to help reduce pollution, minimize dependency on fossil fuels, and help us to simply limit our consumption and waste. These new ideas and technologies are crucial help society sustain itself in the future.

Old material, New Methodology

All around us is a material that has revolutionized the way we use, dispose of, and interact with products. Plastic has found its way into virtually everything we use on a daily basis. This revolutionary material has helped us in too many ways to be counted. However, this common material is also a danger to our environment, as it is not biodegradable and is cable of releasing dangerous, toxic compounds into the environment.

Plastic, however, is proof that it’s never too late to change your ways. New forms of plastic are being produced from revolutionary polymers and material derived from genetically altered plants such as corn and wheat. This new direction in the manufacturing of plastic is helping to make this material become biodegradable. These so-called bioplastics will soon be commonplace among the wide range of bottles, containers, and cartons that we use and dispose of each day.

Changes to Our Fuel

One common green product that is getting serious hype is biodiesel. Biodiesel fuel is derived from alcohol and fats rather than from petroleum. Vehicles can run on biodiesel without a costly or cumbersome conversion. Although this fuel still produces carbon dioxide, it produces significantly less of it and also emits fewer carcinogens.

The major downside to biodiesel is that it costs more than standard diesel fuel and gasoline. On the other hand, the biodiesel gets significantly better fuel economy than these other fuels. Unfortunately, obtaining biodiesel fuel is still a bit difficult. Until the infrastructure is in place to readily supply the fuel, it still will take some time before it truly becomes mainstream.

Carbon – You Can’t Escape It

As humans, it’s only natural that we produce carbon as a result of our energy consumption. Whether you’re driving, flying, breathing, or even turning on a light bulb, everything releases carbon into the air. One of the most important components to the green movement is trying to move toward becoming carbon neutral, or at the very least reducing our so-called carbon footprint. One method of achieving this is researching and investing in renewable energy, such as solar or wind power, which are rapidly gaining traction and funding within the public and private sectors.

Green Reading Materials

Trees are becoming a more valuable resource as we try to reduce our carbon footprint. As such, whatever we can do to reduce the consumption of paper is essential. Although books, newspapers, and magazines have their appeal, more resources are being made available online. Most magazines and newspapers have full-featured online versions. Even books can be purchased and read entirely online! Products like Amazon.com’s new Kindle is helping to promote the digital format for reading material, which helps reduce paper consumption and save trees.

Although paper is far from being replaced by digital media, great strides are being made to provide quality information, entertainment, and news on the Web as an alternative for consumers.

Green Automobiles, Green Fuels, and Now Green Websites

Thanks to new technology, the green movement is being implemented offline as well as online. The ECO-SAFE Foundation is one such company that is providing the resources to ensure websites are environmentally friendly. Using proprietary technology, ECO-SAFE can provide audits of any website, identifying important components that would help make the site more green. Some of these green components include printer friendly pages that reduce ink and paper waste, having available paper-less checkout and receipts, and a slew of other requirements and commitments to making the Web as environmentally friendly as possible.

For those who want to ensure that their website is green, and who also want their customers and site’s visitors to know they’re making strides to be environmentally friendly, the ECO-SAFE Foundation offers an accreditation program that includes a Merit Badge that would be visible to everyone who visits the site.

Increasingly, more websites are promoting green culture and green products. With ECO-SAFE’s strict accreditation process, the foundation allows websites such as these to practice what they preach and ensure that their site is as environmentally friendly as possible. Other websites that do not necessarily cater to “green clientele” will also benefit from this accreditation since the environment has become a mainstream concern.