Here are some questions that we have received so far.  Please email us at info@climateconservancy.org with your questions.  We’ll answer them and if the question is a common one, we’ll add it to the FAQ.

How do you know that a product is Climate Conscious and why should I care if it is or isn't?

If you believe in market forces, why is The Climate Conservancy (TCC) a non-profit?

How much extra do Climate Conscious products cost versus their competitors?

If climate change is a global problem, how can something as small as what products I choose to buy really make any difference?


Q:  How do you know that a product is Climate Conscious and why should I care if it is or isn't?
A:  TCC assesses a product to determine the amount of greenhouse gases (like CO₂) that go into the atmosphere during its creation, use and disposal.  The less greenhouse gases emitted during the life cycle of the product, the better its Climate Conscious rating.  For example, if a company buys its power from renewable, CO₂-free energy sources such as wind and solar, gives its employees credits to take mass transit (or better yet ride bicycles) or uses less packaging, then its products will output less greenhouse gases.  And less greenhouse gases mean less climate change. That's Climate Conscious.

Q:  If you believe in market forces, why is The Climate Conservancy a non-profit?
A:  At TCC, we believe that in order to make our assessments as un-biased as possible, we cannot profit from Climate Conscious assessment of consumer products. To fulfill our mission of reducing greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere and becoming the gold standard of Climate Conscious labeling, the Climate Conservancy itself must remain above the profit motive. Luckily, that doesn't mean a company making Climate Conscious products shouldn't sell more of its products as customers realize the potential benefits to the climate. In fact, we'd love to see their product sales displace their less Climate Conscious competitors altogether.

Q:  How much extra do Climate Conscious products cost compared to competing products?
A:  A Climate Conscious assessment costs a company nothing beyond their cooperation and the minimal expense of adding a label to their product packaging. If, after an assessment, a company's product doesn't meet our high standards, the company may change its operations in an effort to improve, and such changes may have a cost. However, many of these costs will be repaid in time through energy savings, and in the long run these savings will be passed on to consumers.

Q:  If climate change is a global problem, how can something as small as what products I choose to buy really make any difference?
A:  You may not think that your individual actions matter in the great scheme of things, but you'd be wrong. Just as all of us together have created the problem of climate change, all of us--acting together--can solve it. The Climate Conservancy is dedicated to the idea that individual actions, when combined, can change the world. We can't expect government and businesses alone to shoulder the burden of curbing climate change. Each of us can help, and prefering Climate Conscious products is a first step.