Speaker 1: Hey swarmers, welcome back to The Hive. Today we're talking certifications. As public attention shifts towards a greater desire for environmentally friendly and sustainable products, it's important for us as consumers to be able to discern which products and services actually are environmentally friendly and sustainable. This is where certifications come in. Certifications are an important way for third-party organizations to independently verify the environmental or sustainability claims a company makes. This means that on our end, we can rest assured that we're really doing our best to live our most sustainable lives in everything from the clothes we wear, to the food we eat, to the products we purchase, to the buildings we live in. Certifications typically represent a set of environmental guidelines and industry practices that companies are required to follow. Each certification organization has their own set of guidelines, so it's important for us as consumers to get familiar with some of the most common. Armed with a little info, we can be on the lookout for companies that convey a false impression or provide misleading information about their products. Called greenwashing, unsubstantiated claims can deceive consumers into believing that a company's products or practices are environmentally friendly, when in actuality, they are not. So we're going to break down just a few of the most well-known certifications. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, 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 energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. Appliances and electronics make up a majority of energy usage in a standard home. A well-known certification that looks at the energy efficiency of these products is Energy Star. Energy Star is a program run by the U.S. government that aims to help consumers easily choose the most energy-efficient products that save them money and reduce pollution. Look for this symbol on your washers, dryers, air conditioners, kitchen appliances, and even windows and doors. There's a link below for more info, and you can find all of these Energy Star-rated products in our app. One of the most common product categories to see an environmental certification for is food. USDA Organic is arguably the most recognized certification in food. USDA-certified organic foods are grown and processed according to federal guidelines addressing, among many factors, soil quality, animal raising practices, pest and weed control, and use of additives. Look for this symbol when purchasing, and there's a link below for more info. The Rainforest Alliance certification is another certification you'll often see on food, but can also be found on building materials, health and beauty items, and other items derived from vulnerable forests around the world. In order to be Rainforest Alliance-certified, strict standards in ecosystem conservation, wildlife protection, and fair treatment and good working conditions for workers must be met. Look for the frog. The Fair Trade certification is for products made in developing countries that are held to rigorous standards which drive income sustainability, community and individual well-being, empowerment, and environmental stewardship. They include requirements around workers' rights, fair labor practices, and responsible land management. There are a few different Fair Trade certifying bodies, and there's a link below to help you navigate them. Another certification to look for is the RSPO, or Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil certification. One of the largest crops produced in rainforest areas is palm oil, and it seems to be in just about everything these days. Palm oil plantations are typically farmed by clear-cutting rainforests. RSPO is a certification that is working to unite stakeholders in the palm oil industry to create sustainable environmental standards for its production. Products that are RSPO-certified use palm oil from plantations that meet benchmarks to reduce negative impacts on the environment and local communities. However, that being said, there is currently information being brought to light on the efficacy of this certification, so in our opinion, avoid palm oil completely if you can. Oceans are the primary food source for an estimated 3 billion people, and this number is expected to increase in the coming years. In many parts of the world, overfishing and poor fisheries management are a real concern. The Marine Stewardship Council provides a certification for sustainably caught and managed seafood. Their goal is to improve seafood traceability, to give consumers the ability to understand where their seafood comes from and how it is caught. It can be challenging to determine the legitimacy of a certification, but a reliable source to find this information is through iSEAL. iSEAL is a global membership association for organizations that meet their sustainability standards. Many of the major sustainability certification organizations are members of iSEAL, like Rainforest Alliance, RSPO, and the Marine Stewardship Council. Sustainable certifications fill an important role in allowing us to make informed choices when buying things. It's important for us to be aware of how what we buy affects the environment, and how there is often a more environmentally friendly option available. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you next time, and don't forget to subscribe for all of the latest in learning to live your most sustainable life. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you next time, and don't forget to subscribe for all of the latest in learning to live your most sustainable life.