A Green Directory

We are hoping to showcase individuals, businesses or projects with a green message or agenda on an ocassional basis in their own words, this is to get an insight into the aims and reasoning why they began greening the world in the first place.

The first of these is the Green Providers Directory, a UK based online directory listing companies by specific category, and without the need to publish a big 2.5" thick paper directory. Dr Gary Robertshaw is the project director and continues for us;

"There are many ‘green’ sites that discuss the problems of environmental damage and climate change. However, it seemed to me that they were largely passive in nature and failed to engage mainstream consumers, which is needed to facilitate change on a larger scale and not just stimulate debate amongst core eco-consumers.

As a long time green campaigner I therefore decided to set up The Green Providers Directory to encourage more consumers to use environmentally friendly, ethical and organic goods and services. The premise of the directory is based on consumer power. That is, if large numbers of consumers can be educated and convinced of the dangers of climate change, then their combined demand for greener goods and services will cause a paradigm shift in buying behaviour and force more companies to adopt policies that reduce harm to the environment

Each company listed in The Green Providers Directory has been vetted against their stated ethical policy. We routinely reject applications because they fail to meet our criteria and we have also been keen to avoid associations with 'pseudo-green' national corporations who are using the growing concern to jump on the green bandwagon, whilst continuing to pursue non-sustainable business practices. To that effect, you will not find supermarkets, car makers, tobacco companies, etc...anywhere in the directory. As The Green Providers Directory is privately owned and not-for-profit there is no requirement to affiliate with any particular company - it's completely unbiased and independent.

The basic concept is that visitors to the site can be confident in finding true green companies for all their everyday needs. The advice given is impartial and there is no active selling. This gives the site a point of differentiation from other 'green' directories and instills greater credibility."

The Green Providers Directory has certainly built up a good following, listed in The Guardian's environmental section and on green.tv, the United Nations Environmental Programme and members of Ethical Junction. If you are looking to buy green start here.