Tech Companies and Retailers Haven't Given Up on Verifying Environmental Sustainability

August 21, 2025 (AP) – One way to be climate-friendly: Shop sustainably. But figuring out which products count as “sustainable” can be hard, especially when buying online.

As ordering with a computer or phone becomes more ubiquitous, the number of online products labeled sustainable is also increasing. Yet there is no single seal of approval across e-commerce platforms that verifies whether something is climate-friendly, partly because there are multiple ways to define sustainability.

Third-party nonprofit organizations study manufacturers and sellers' practices and offer certifications that are displayed online. Government programs such as the Agriculture Department's organic certification or Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star efficiency standard are also often listed. Large e-commerce websites may highlight the certifications with special icons, hyperlinks to certification programs or written descriptions.

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