For those seeking greener pastures and products, average consumers are finding it ever easier to jump right in.
JumpGauge is an online tool allowing prospective buyers to assess and compare the environmental impacts of a growing number of products. The site pairs seemingly common, everyday products with icons that denote their uncommon stewardship of the environment.
The site is geared more toward mainstream buyers, those otherwise less inclined to delve deeply into the origins and impacts of things they buy. Yet as common consumers continue to turn an ever deepening shade of green, they are seeking ways to spend their green in a more eco responsible manner.
Enter JumpGauge, a tool that requires little effort to see what goes into manufacturing and bringing a product to market.
As traditional buyers become more aware of how the products they purchase affect the environment, they are learning too that their own interests and those of the planet are often one and the same.
Suddenly faced with the need to purchase clothes for a newborn baby, for example, parents may suddenly recognize the value of natural and chemical-free materials. As it happens, these materials are often gentler on the ecosystem just as they are against newborn skin.
JumpGauge earns its keep by directing buyers to sites where products are actually sold, where it then earns a commission from purchases made there. This can prove to be an attractive option for sellers, who have traditionally relied on site advertising to sell their products.
JumpGauge allows users to simply view the icons associated with their product of interest. Focusing on a specific icon then reveals more detailed info. Those interested in composting, recycled materials, organics, and an assortment of other criteria will find a corresponding earth-friendly icon revealing how their product rates in terms of eco-responsibility.
This also works well from the manufacturers’ perspective, as it allows them to get the green side of their products more squarely before the public eye. While many companies have seen the value of greening their operations and things they produce, getting that information out to consumers is largely uncharted territory.
“Manufacturers are trying to do green things,” said Stas Antons, a founder of Jump2Green, the site that offers JumpGauge. Yet, “The greenness of their products is invisible.”
With all the certification groups out there and their often different standards, Antons said Jump2Green’s founders see JumpGuage as an organizer of that slew of information.
That in turn, should motivate other companies to green their products. Realistically, the green that inspires most is the color of money, and greener competitors undoubtedly will prompt less responsible ones to get in on the act. Sunshine is the best disinfectant, as they say, and JumpGuage is an easy way for consumers to direct more light on their purchases.
Photo Credit to “Kretyen” under a Flickr Creative Commons License
