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What benefits come from being a Green Certified Business |
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Why should my business get certified as a Green Business? |
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What does 'Make the Conversation Green' Mean? |
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My web site isn't ready, should I wait to get my certificate? |
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How are you different than other Green Certification organizations? |
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What is Green Washing? |
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How do you verify a certificate? |
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Who can apply for a certificate? |
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How long does my certificate last? |
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How do I renew my certificate? |
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What does my business need to do to get certified? |
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Where do you get your statistical information? |
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I belong to an association of green businesses, do you have group discounts? |
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Do you have an affiliate program? |
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| Q: |
What benefits come from being a Green Certified Business |
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82% of consumers buy green and are willing to spend more money for green products even in an economic downturn. As a Green Certified business, you get our Green Certified Seal to place on your web site, your business cards and your print material. This Green Certified Seal on your web site links to your certificate which is hosted on GreenCertifiedWeb.org and your personalized certificate shows visitors customer what you are doing to be sustainable in your business. Your web site is listed in the Green Certified Directory so consumers looking for Green businesses will find you. We send you reminders and suggestions on how you can be more green in your business. You also you have access to the message board where you can ask questions relating to sustainability and discuss with other businesses and our Advisory Board. |
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| Q: |
Why should my business get certified as a Green Business? |
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It's obvious you care about the environment. So do we. We're all working to do our part to help the eco-system. Getting your green certificate gives you an opportunity to you show your customers that you care and what you're doing about it. You will also be encouraging others to follow your example. |
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| Q: |
What does 'Make the Conversation Green' Mean? |
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GreenCertifiedWeb.org is based on a vision, a belief that Being Green is a progression. When you answer your certification questions, we do not verify you are telling the truth. We're adults, we don't need to lie (green wash). Therefore, your certificate demonstrates what you ARE doing to be green. Additionally, with no exception, what is green in your business may not be what is green in my business. Email reminders and the message board are here to help all of us learn together the best way to be green. Many experts agree that "Being Green" needs to be defined as much by social and economic standards as by ecological standards. Who better than business owners to define those standards. |
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| Q: |
My web site isn't ready, should I wait to get my certificate? |
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Your certificate is good for 1 year from the day you post it to your web site. If you purchase a certificate today and do not make your certificate "live" on your web site for 2 months, that year will not start until the day, 2 months from now, when you do make your certificate "live." |
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| Q: |
How are you different than other Green Certification organizations? |
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Most of the certificates we've seen have a set criteria you are required to meet to be certified. GreenCertifiedWeb.org sees sustainability as a progression over time. Show us what you are doing now and let us learn from you. A certificate from GreenCertifiedWeb.org tells people that you are doing something and what that something is. It shows you are interested in doing more than just passing a test. Your customers know you are an ongoing part of the solution. |
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What is Green Washing? |
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When a company make it look like they are using sustainable practices when they really aren't or when they use some small sustainable effort to cover up a greater ecological misstep. For example, you announce on your certificate that your business uses only 100% recycled paper but neglect to mention that you dump toxic waste into the ocean on a daily basis, that would be green washing. Green washing is a bad idea, you will eventually be found out and that could hurt your business. |
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How do you verify a certificate? |
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GreenCertifiedWeb.org certificates do not need verification. Your certificate only shows what you are doing to be Eco-Friendly. If you do not have a recycle program, we are not here to judge you for that, we are here to encourage you to get a recycle program so you can update your questionnaire which will instantly update your certificate and let people know you've added another step in your efforts to be sustainable. |
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Who can apply for a certificate? |
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Any business can apply for a certificate. You will answer a series of questions about your Sustainability efforts. Only answers that show what you are doing will be listed on your certificate. |
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How long does my certificate last? |
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Certificates last 1, 2 or 5 years from the date you activate the certificate. Purchasing a certificate is the first step. You don't need to activate your certificate until you are ready. |
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How do I renew my certificate? |
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Login to your profile, purchase a new certificate credit and add it to your existing certificate by clicking 'Renew.' |
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| Q: |
What does my business need to do to get certified? |
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This is a 3 step process. First, go to the "Join" page to purchase your certificate. Second, respond to the certificate questions (you determine what questions the public gets to see). Third, put the certificate in your web site. |
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Where do you get your statistical information? |
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Raw statistical data on Carbon Dioxide is available from many sources but often, these sources have conflicting information and the numbers are not always standardized. This is why we are grateful to have Paul Burke of www.co2list.org as a member of our Advisory Board. Paul has broken down the vast amount of data into realistic and reliable tables and guidelines. All of our information is based on Paul's research. |
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| Q: |
I belong to an association of green businesses, do you have group discounts? |
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GreenCertifiedWeb.org is interested in helping businesses help the environment, of course we can work with your organization. Contact us to learn more. |
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Do you have an affiliate program? |
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We do have a selective affiliate program. We work with environmental organizations and foundations as well as like minded businesses who want to help us make the conversation green. Contact us to learn more. |
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