EcoMetro Criteria: Background, Framework and Application
Last updated: February 2009
EcoMetro Criteria: Background
The original EcoMetro Criteria was developed in 2000 with the Sustainable Development Commission of the City of Portland and Multnomah County, Oregon. The initial Criteria Framework was endorsed by this governmental body and has been maintained and updated every year by Celilo Group Media.
Quantifying the environmental impact of an individual product, service or business is extremely difficult. First, there is no universally accepted metric for defining environmental impact. Depending on the definition, environmental impact can refer to energy use, water use, toxics emissions, protection of biodiversity, carbon emissions, or some combination of these and other factors.
Second, the measurement of each of these individual impacts can be extremely difficult. For example, for even moderately complex products, it can be nearly impossible to track the manufacturing process and transportation of raw materials used in the creation of the product.
While measuring environmental impact is messy, consumers want a simple way to be able to make informed purchasing choices.
The only way that has been developed to address this challenge is through the creation and use of certification systems with corresponding ecolabels. In the US, some of the most widely known and highly respected certifications include: USDA organic, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), LEED and Energy Star.
Developing certification systems is very expensive and time-consuming. As such, credible certifications do not exist for many products and, particularly, services. In addition, certification systems rarely address behavior modifications that could have overwhelming impact. For example, purchasing anything used and uncertified is almost always going to have less environmental impact than purchasing something that is new but certified.
In addition, there can be significant costs for the product manufacturer to achieve certification, and there are typically ongoing auditing costs for ensuring integrity. Finally, having a trusted, typically non-profit entity be the caretaker of the certification criteria and provide unbiased information on the product or business is important to the long-term integrity of the certification system.
To summarize, there are four primary aspects to any system that seeks to define more and less-environmentally impactful products or services:
- Accuracy: the level of scientific rigor applied to the certification system itself and the verification or auditing of the certified entities
- Implementation cost: the cost for qualification of the product/service/business
- Impact: the overall environmental impact of the program
- Integrity: more qualitative, this is a measurement of the perceived integrity of the certification program
We believe the EcoMetro Criteria is the most comprehensive, credible and practical criteria used by any publication in the US. We also know it is not perfect and welcome comments and suggestions for improvement. Please email editor@ecometro.com if you’d like to share your comments. We update the criteria annually.
EcoMetro Criteria: Framework
The EcoMetro Criteria framework was developed with the goals of having high impact, high integrity and low marginal implementation cost. We also knew that we needed a good level of accuracy, but that perfect information was never going to be obtainable in many cases. To accomplish this, we have taken a hybrid approach to qualifying products, services and businesses as meeting the EcoMetro Criteria.
First, the EcoMetro Criteria applies primarily to specific products and services and the environmental impacts of their creation, use and disposal. With a few rare exceptions, the Criteria does not apply to the general practices of a business. We have decided that it is more impactful to focus on the products themselves, regardless of the particular business selling the product. Our one exception to this rule relates to certain big-box stores.
Second, a product or service can meet the EcoMetro Criteria in one of four ways, depending on the specific product category. To meet the EcoMetro Criteria, a product, service or in limited cases an entire business must meet one of the following options:
1. Third party certification
We adopt the following third-party certifications: USDA Organic, Fair Trade, Marine Stewardship Council, Salmon Safe, Food Alliance, Forest Stewardship Council, Rainforest Alliance, Energy Star, LEED, EPEAT, Cradle-to-Cradle and Green Seal.
This option covers approximately 35% of the products and services we cover.
2. Self-certification
This is used only in the following limited cases where a business is making a specific claim:
- rBST-free dairy products (e.g. Ben & Jerry’s)
- Low- or No-VOC paints/finishes
- Recycled content percentages for paper products, fabrics, building materials
This option covers approximately 1% of the products and services we cover.
3. EcoMetro Surveys
For two industry categories (restaurants and lodging establishments), businesses must complete our custom surveys.
This option covers approximately 10% of the products and services we cover.
4. Significant Substitution Advantage
This criteria option provides some of the highest impacts in terms of reducing environmental impact. We apply this option to the following categories:
- Transportation: bikes, skateboards, carsharing services, biofuels, hybrid and electric vehicles, bus and transit
- Gardening: native plants, low-water plants, compost, water-saving devices
- Used: anything used or salvaged, including clothing, building materials, books and music
- Energy: energy-conserving devices or materials, including insulation and weatherization supplies, ceiling fans, compact fluorescent light-bulbs, clotheslines; clean energy products, including solar panels.
- Water: water-conserving devices, including
- Experiences: local experiences, including theater, museums, gardens
- Fitness and outdoor recreation: products and services that promote non-motorized outdoor recreation and fitness, including camping, biking, hiking, paddling, running, climbing, dance, yoga and Pilates.
- Education: books and classes that provide education on a wide variety of practices that promote less-impactful living, including classes on organic gardening, cooking with local foods
- Crafts: certain crafts and hobbies, including knitting and music
This option covers approximately 54% of the products and services we cover.
Summary of EcoMetro Criteria Framework
- High impact
- High integrity
- Low marginal implementation cost
- Moderate accuracy
EcoMetro Criteria: Application
We believe the EcoMetro Criteria is the most comprehensive, credible and practical criteria used in the United State. We also know neither the Criteria itself nor its application are perfect, and we welcome comments and suggestions for improvement. Please email editor@ecometro.com with your comments. We update the Criteria annually.
Below is a complete list of product, service and business categories, which Criteria option covers the category, and limited comments.
Grocery & Dining
|
Packaged Food
|
1
|
Organic, Food Alliance, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance
|
| Grocery Stores |
1 & 4 |
Substantial presence of certified
organic products required (even
though coupons not always limited
to those items)
|
| Fresh Produce |
1 & 4 |
Must be organic-, Rainforest Alliance-, or Food Alliance- certified or locally grown
(the latter for CSA delivery services,
not produce at a grocery store)
|
| Seafood |
1 |
Marine Stewardship Council certified,
or “yellow” or “green” on Seafood Watch
|
| Meats, Dairy, Eggs |
1 & 2 |
Organic, Food Alliance or rBst/rBGH-free sources |
| Pet Food |
1 |
Organic |
| Restaurants |
3 |
Must complete our restaurant survey |
| Coffee Shops |
1 |
Certified organic or Fair Trade coffee or tea |
| Catering |
3 |
Must complete our restaurant survey |
Entertainment & Family
Note on entertainment and cultural events: Cultural events and institutions support a vibrant community, and the arts in general challenge and encourage us to think, question and take actions that make the world a better place. And, giving tickets to attend local cultural events – gifts of experience, rather than more stuff – supports waste reduction. While the overall environmental benefits of these organizations may be difficult to measure, we feel they are significant contributors to quality of life, a vibrant local economy and a healthy environment.
| Museums and Cultural Attractions
|
4 |
|
| Theater, Dance,
Music, Cultural
Performance
|
4 |
|
| Sporting Events 4
& Indoor Sporting
Activities
|
4 |
|
| Movies, Cinema |
4 |
|
| Zoos, Aquariums |
4 |
Must have a significant conservation and education mission. |
| Musical Instruments |
4 |
|
| Music/Video for Purchase |
4 |
Used CDs, DVDs, LPs and cassettes only |
| Books, Magazines, Posters, Educational, Materials |
4 |
Used; Promote healthy, environmental, sustainable living |
Health & Style
| Yoga, Pilates |
4 |
Promote health and well-being. |
| Athletic Clubs |
4 |
Promote health and well-being. |
| Apparel |
1, 2 & 4 |
Certified organic fiber; recycled or recyclable synthetic fibers;
vintage or resale items; some specific
natural fibers (bamboo, soy, Tencel, limestone)
|
| Knitting |
1 & 2 |
Same as apparel |
| Gifts, Accessories |
1 & 4 |
Made from certified or recycled
materials, or made from locally
found materials, or maker/organization is a member of the Fair Trade Federation.
|
| Personal Care |
1 |
Certified organic ingredients |
| Dietary Supplements |
1 |
Certified organic ingredients |
| Health-Related Classes or Insurance |
4 |
Must have a significant prevention, health and/or well-being focus |
| Cloth Diaper Service |
4 |
|
| Pet Products |
2 & 4 |
Bedding, toys, etc made from recycled and/or organic materials |
| Photographic Services |
4 |
Digital only |
| Financial Services |
4 |
Community banks and credit unions meet the
criteria. Specific products offered by other
financial institutions, including socially responsible
investments and energy-efficient mortgages, also
qualify.
|
| Computers |
1 |
Certified EPEAT Gold or higher |
Home
| Paints, Finishes |
1 & 2 |
Green Seal certified or low-VOC and
non-toxic
|
| Cleaning Services, Supplies |
1 & 2 |
Green Seal certified or non-toxic |
| Paper Products |
2 |
Process chlorine-free |
| Building Supplies |
1, 2 & 4 |
Surplus, or FSC-certified wood, or
recycled content
|
| Furniture |
1 & 2 |
Organic fabrics, or FSC wood,
or recycled content
|
| Hardware Stores |
1 & 4 |
Substantial presence of individual items meeting
the criteria
|
| Linens |
1 |
Same as Apparel |
| Appliances |
1 |
Energy Star certified |
| Repair Services |
4 |
Upholstery services, furniture repair |
| Fixtures, Lighting |
4 |
Energy Star fixtures/light bulbs
or used
|
| Home Heating |
4 |
Biodiesel |
| *Realtors |
4 |
Green real estate services |
| Energy Saving Materials |
4 |
Insulation, weather- stripping, etc. |
*Note on realtors: we are in a trial phase with including realtors in the EcoMetro Criteria. We are still defining our Criteria for realtors and welcome suggestions. Currently all realtors qualify
Travel & Recreation
| Fuel |
1 & 4 |
E85 ethanol or biodiesel |
| Bikes, Supplies |
4 |
Anything bike-related |
| Train |
4 |
|
| Outdoor Gear, Apparel |
4 |
All gear for camping, paddling, snow
Apparel sports, etc. for non-motorized recreation
|
|
| Angling |
4 |
Lead-free sinkers |
Outdoor Recreation
Rentals/Service
|
4 |
Rentals, classes or trips for non-motorized recreation |
| Snow Skiing |
1 |
Ski Area Citizens grade of B or better |
| Parks |
4 |
|
| Rock Climbing |
4 |
Indoor rock climbing walls/gym |
| Auto Repair, Oil Changes |
1 & 4 |
EcoLogical Business Programm, Bay Area Green Business Program or Envirostars certified |
| Lodging |
3 |
Must complete our lodging survey on practices |
| Cars |
1 & |
All vehicles having a class ranking of “Superior” or
a “Best in Class” ranking in the subcompact
(manual or automatic), compact (manual or
automatic), midsize (automatic only), small
wagon, midsize wagon, or compact SUV category
(automatic only) of the American Council for an
Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE)’s Green Book.
|
| Car Washes |
4 |
Must use recycled water |
Yard & Garden
| Plants |
1 |
Native, organic or drought resistant plants |
| Flowers (cut) |
1 |
Organic or Rainforest Alliance |
| Fertilizers |
1 & 4 |
Compost, organic or yard debris services |
| Landscaping, Tree Care |
1 & 4 |
EcoLogical business certified or Tree Care significant commitment to using native plants, or organic lawn care |
| Seeds |
1 & 4 |
Certified organic or heirloom |
| Pesticides |
1 & 4 |
Certified organic or bio-control |
| Pest control services |
4 |
Company must only use products rated with the
“caution” label by EPA. Products containing the
“warning” or “danger” label are not permitted.
|
| Lawn Mowers |
4 |
Reel or electric and sharpening services |
| Tools |
4 |
Hand tools for use instead of gas-powered |
| Compost Bins |
4 |
|
| Bird Feeders |
4 |
|
| Outdoor Funiture |
1 & 4 |
FSC-certified or bamboo |
| Gardening Classes |
4 |
For organic gardening, naturescaping |
EcoMetro Criteria Application: A few additional notes
COUPONS: To enable the use of the coupon mechanism, we have allowed certain retailers to offer storewide coupons as long as they have a significant presence of products in their stores that meet the EcoMetro Criteria, even if all of their products do not. The two main merchant categories where this occurs are grocery stores and hardware stores.
ECOMETRO.COM DIRECTORY LISTINGS: In the business directory on ecometro.com, the merchant listed has been verified as carrying products or offering services that meet the EcoMetro Criteria. Over time, we are adding the specific names of these product offerings to the product listing portion of the merchant’s individual listing.
BIG BOX STORES: While the EcoMetro Criteria applies primarily to products and services, we cannot deny the environmental and social impact so-called Big Box retailers have on communities. These impacts include the negative effects on land use and transportation, as well as employment practices related to healthcare benefits. We recognize that quantifying these impacts is very difficult. In addition, we recognize that certain major big box retailers sell hundreds of products that, individually, meet the EcoMetro Criteria. For the present time we are taking the tact of evaluating “Big Box” stores on a case-by-case basis. We do currently exclude the majority of big box retailers, but our position on this will likely evolve.
Contact Us
We believe the EcoMetro Criteria is the most comprehensive, credible and practical criteria used by any publication in the U.S. We also know it is not perfect and welcome comments and suggestions for improvement. Please email editor@ecometro.com if you’d like to share your comments. We update the criteria annually.