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With so many businesses claiming to be green or eco-friendly, we recognize how difficult it is to figure out who's for real and who's greenwashing. Further, we know that consumers aren't just looking at how green something is, they also want high quality products and services at a good price. And that's where Live Green comes in. Before Live Green makes any business or organization a Live Green Spot, we make sure they offer the things our members truly want. When you see a business displaying the Live Green Spot logo on their door or website, you can shop there confidently knowing that it went through Live Green's rigorous screening process.
Specifically, here's what we look for:
Products and services that are eco-friendly
Does the business/organization offer products/services that are on the leading edge of environmental responsibility when it comes to source materials, manufacturing/production, distribution, usage, and disposal/recycling? Trusted third-party certifiers include Green Seal, FSC, Energy Star, and Green America.
Eco-friendly operations
Does the business/organization run their operations with practices that are on the leading edge of environmental responsibility when it comes to things including energy use, energy efficiency, green buildings, paper use, and waste/recycling? Particular emphasis is placed on carbon-neutrality, energy efficiency, and use of renewable energy. Trusted third-party certifiers include LEED, Green-E, and Green Guard. 
Price/affordability
Does the business/organization offer products that are priced well relative to competitors, including competitors that sell non-green alternatives? We use sites such as amazon.com and target.com for comparison purposes.
Quality
Does the business/organization offer products/services of high quality as determined by user opinions, third party evaluators, and/or personal experience from Live Green researchers? We refer to sites such as Yelp, epinions, Zagat, Consumer Reports, CityPaper, and urban spoon.
Social Responsibility
Are there meaningful socially responsible aspects of the business/organization? Things we look for include: woman or minority-owned businesses, involvement in community initiatives, products/services that actually save consumers money (particularly those with low incomes), fair-trade certification, and progressive practices when it comes to human rights, animal rights, and labor.
While a business/organization does not need to score perfectly on every one of these criteria, it would need to score well across these categories to be considered a Live Green Spot. To see the businesses that have already passed our screen, click here. If you know of a business/organization that you think would pass our screen, nominate it here.
Finally, we work hard to make sure the mix of businesses/organizations that Live Green supports is attractive to a wide range of people from various backgrounds and incomes, whether they consider themselves green or not. We also strive to make deals with businesses/organizations that make eco-friendly products and services more easily accessible to average consumers.
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