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General Certification Qualifications and Requirements
Candidates must prove that they:
- Demonstrate understanding and knowledge of environmental sustainability in the areas of Energy Conservation, Water Conservation, Waste Reduction, Recycling, Pollution Prevention, and Chemical Management;
- Demonstrate social responsibility in the areas of ethics, fair treatment of human resources, vendor selection, employee education, and community involvement;
- Demonstrate the understanding of the concept of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and the effective use of TCO to choose and justify green options vs. non-green options;
- Have a business website online with a domain name that reflects the business name, and
- Provide a green mission and/or vision statement
Environmental Responsibility Requirements
Candidates must prove that they:
- Comply with all applicable environmental regulations;
- Take steps to prevent pollution;
- Take steps to reduce waste;
- Conserve energy, water and other natural resources;
- Track resource use, including but not limited to energy, water, recycling and waste production;
- Control chemicals & hazardous materials;
- Choose materials, products and services using criteria that judge the environmental sustainability of the source, and
- Take steps to protect public health and the environment
Social Responsibility Requirements
Candidates must prove that they:
- Practice ethical and fair treatment of human resources, including human rights, fair compensation, health and well-being;
- Choose products and services from vendors that have high social values;
- Educate and encourage employees and customers to use environmentally sustainable methods;
- Assist other businesses with introducing green practices, and
- Involve themselves with the community
Specialty-Specific Certification Requirements
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Certified Green Caterer Requirements
A candidate must prove that they do at least five of the following:
- Purchase more than 50% of their food from local organic sources;
- Compost food scraps;
- Save unused food and freeze it for reuse or donation;
- Provide reusable tableware, napkins, tablecloths, glasses and cups;
- Recycle products at their facilities and at events, such as plastics, bottles, cans, paper, cardboard;
- Use non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning chemicals;
- Does not use polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) or disposable plastic items such as utensils or cups;
- Reduce water usage by installing aerators on faucets or by implementing other water saving measures
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Certified Green Photographer Requirements
A candidate must prove that they do at least four of the following:
- Use digital photography equipment instead of film;
- Use rechargeable batteries in their equipment;
- Provide online photo proofs to their clients;
- Dispose of equipment in an environmentally friendly way, such as recycling through an e-waste collector, selling for reuse by others, or donating;
- Choose an online print provider instead of printing photos themselves;
- Encourage clients to only print the photos they need
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Certified Green Wedding Planner Requirements
A candidate must prove that they do at least four of the following:
- Conserve our planet’s resources through eco-friendly wedding planning;
- Take an active role in helping couples learn to make greener choices;
- Provide eco-friendly alternatives and ideas for invitations, organic food, drinks, cakes, tableware, flowers, decor, gowns, reception locations, and transportation;
- Offer referrals to green conflict-free jewelers;
- Offer green wedding attire ideas, such as reusing gowns, renting tuxedos/dresses, and referrals to green gown designers and clothing rental facilities;
- Collaborate and coordinate recycling efforts with various wedding vendors and venues
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