There are close to a thousand green certifications. Its is totally out of hand. I have studied these programs for years and I continuously come to the same conclusion. In all most all cases the carbon footprint of the certification exceeds the carbon footprint trying to be saved.
Certifications require extensive record keeping, computers, employes gathering information to be entered into the computer,usually a large part of an employees time is used to maintain the database and keep everything up to date. The certifying entity has a facility and employes. An auditor's visit is required to visually inspect and verify.
When you add up all of the carbon footprints of each process and procedures along with the carbon footprint of maintaining the certifying bodies facilities and employe base along with the auditor's auditing process and travel required it becomes a carbon footprint negative process.
The certifications are good but they carry a huge carbon footprint cost.
Permalink Reply by Eco-Hustler on 
Permalink Reply by Green Printer on Everything and every action has a carbon footprint. Always look at the total picture before you make a decision.
At this time there is not a single commercially available green power supply technology that is economically feasible. Virtually every green power providing technology is government subsidised. Most subsidise range from a 50% tax credit and usually include a 2 cents per kilowatt tax credit.
Users of green power usually pay a premium of 2 cents upto 10 cents per kilowatt for the privilege of using green power. The electric utilities are already getting your tax dollar for the 2 cents/kilowatt tax credit and then you have to pay extra to buy the green power.
If you think the green power off the the power grid is coming to you think again. The power grid is like a huge swimming pool of water and all the power enters the grid (swimming pool) and is mixed with all the others. Anyone who plugs into the grid is getting a portion green power just like the ones paying extra for it. You can say you are using green power when the green power source is directly hooked to you.
The biggest item of all is that all wind and solar power sources are supplemental only. They only work when the wind blows and the sun shines. We still need the base power coal, oil, natural gas systems in place to supply the power grid when the wind doesn't blow and the sun isn't shining.
I do wish I could be more positive about green power but that just how it is and how it works at this time in history.
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