The development of environmental codes which carry a monitoring system ensure that accredited products follow the guidelines dictated by the code. Products baring the insignia of the codes listed below have passed an accreditation process and are regularly monitored to ensure they are maintaining the standard of the code.

To determine exactly what the environmental standard of each code is and whether it reaches your own expectations, read the specific criteria that a product must adhere to in order to gain accreditiation.

This is not a comprehensive list but it's a pretty good guide. Many products that make environmental claims and do not bare the insignia of the following certification standards are just making it up themselves.

(Thank you Total Environment Centre for assistance with codes.)

Australian Certified Organic
www.australianorganic.com.au

Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) Co-op is Australia’s largest representative member based organisation for organic agriculture in Australasia and the South Pacific region. Australian Certified Organic (ACO) is the certification arm of BFA. Certification ACO is Australia's largest certifier for organic and biodynamic produce.

ACO has over 1300 operators within its certification system. ACO provides certification services to operators from all sectors of the organics industry. Certification ensures compliance with national standards and allows trace back of products to their origin.

OUTLINE OF AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC STANDARD

Soil fertility: soil is managed through crop rotations and the use of green manure crops, compost, and natural mineral products to maintain natural soil fertility. Artificial fertilisers are prohibited.

Pest and disease control: plant health is maintained through careful planning, suitable crop rotations and mechanical and natural methods of pest and weed control. Artificial pesticides and herbicides are prohibited.

GMOs: are strictly prohibited at every stage of production. GMOs are not allowed on the same production unit, even if you are not seeking certification of that area.

Part Property: You may certify only a part of your property in the first instance, with full property certification achieved over a few years. This allows you to gain knowledge and expertise in organic production and spread the financial risk and costs
associated with organic conversion.

Conservatation: The development of a healthy environment, enhancing landscaping features, native plant and animal species are encouraged. For example, this may include maintaining treed areas as an important wildlife habitat which must comprise 5% of property area by July 2005.

To read the full 114 page standard visit the ACO website.

NASAA Certified Organic
www.nasaa.com.au

NASAA is an international organic certification body that provides certification services across Australia and South East Asia. The NASAA Organic Standard is an 116 page document that covers the same areas as the Australian Organic Standard summerised above.

Energy Rating
www.energyrating.gov.au

Energy Rating is a standard of the National Appliance and Equipment Energy Efficiency Program (NAEEEP). NAEEEP is funded by the Commonwealth, state and territory governments. The program covers various end-use energy efficiency standards, both mandatory and voluntary. Its main resource is the Energy Rating comparative database for white goods which is a major source of information looking to compare the energy efficiency of different products. The more stars on the Energy Rating stamp a product is given, the more energy efficient it is.

Forest Stewardship Council
www.fsc.org

The FSC was founded in 1994 and is an international body which accredits certification organisations in order to guarantee the authenticity of their claims. In all cases the process of certification is initiated voluntarily by forest managers who request the services of a certification organisation. The stated goal of the FSC is to promote environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests by establishing a worldwide standard of recognised and respected Principles of Forest Stewardship.

WARNING: International environment organisaions including Friends of the Earth have disendorsed FSC claiming the FSC have certified logging operations in old growth forest around the world. The FSC in Australia has recently given certification to Reflex paper manufactured by PaperlinX, a company that sources woodchips from old growth forest, rainforest, endangered species habitat and water catchment areas in Victoria's Central Highlands.

Free Range Farmers Association
www.freerangefarmers.com.au

The Free Range Farmers Association Incorporated is a group of egg producers committed to creating a standard of animal welfare and food integrity within the egg industry. FRFA is part funded by the Federal Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business though the Gippsland Area Consultative Committee. FRFA standards and practices are based on the Farm Animal Welfare Council "five freedoms":

1. freedom from hunger and thirst
2. freedom from discomfort
3. freedom from pain, injury or disease
4. freedom to express normal behaviour
5. freedom from fear and distress.

Natural behaviours for laying hens require the ability to roam widely in search of insects, dust bathe, wing flap and socialise with other hens. Because FRFA hens are not mutilated in any way they are able to follow their natural instincts.

The free range system incorporates natural poultry keeping methods. It is land based to ensure that the hens are happy, healthy and free and limited stocking density per acre is to provide both land and environmental sustainability.

FRFA have an accreditations scheme which is designed to enable consumers to readily identify the product of farms that comply with the Associations published standards for free-range egg production. Such farms will have been inspected by an appointed Independent Inspector to ensure that all management practices are appropriate to the concept of free-range egg production. Additionally processes will be in place to ensure that only eggs produced on an accredited farm are sold as accredited free-range eggs. This includes an audit trail for eggs delivered and bought in from other accredited farms.

Good Environmental Choice
www.geca.org.au

The Good Environmental Choice label was founded in 2000 and is administered by the Australian Environmental Labelling Association Inc, a non-profit non-government organisation with a national outreach. The full product life cycle label is product focused with standards in a range of consumer, building and industrial products. The program is self declared to comply with ISO 14 024: International Standard for Third Party Environmental Labelling and Declaration Programs (this means that Environmental Choice has not been independently certified by ISO but that they claim to follow this standard).

The Good Environmental Choice Label is the only environmental labelling program in Australia which indicates the environmental performance of a product from a whole of product life perspective for consumer goods. The label is awarded to products that meet voluntary environmental performance standards which have been created and assessed in conformance to international environmental labelling standards. The program is internationally recognised and growing in demand and awareness throughout different industries.

The objectives of the program are to:

• Provide incentives for suppliers to reduce the
  environmental impacts of products sold in Australia;
• Provide a clear, credible and independent guide to
  consumers wishing to take account of environmental
  factors in their purchasing decisions;
• Encourage consumers to purchase products which have
  lower environmental impacts;
• Recognise genuine moves by companies to reduce the
  adverse environmental impacts of their products;
• Aim ultimately to improve the quality of the
  environment and to encourage the sustainable
  management of resources.

NB: the code certifies products that have a lower environmental impact than comparative products. This does not mean they are necesarily beneficial or completely benign. Certified products are listed on the website with their product declaration detailing the standards they have met through the product life cycle.

Green Globe
www.greenglobe21.com

Green Globe 21 is the global benchmarking, certification and improvement system for sustainable travel and tourism. It is based on Agenda 21 and principles for Sustainable Development endorsed by 182 Heads of State in the United Nations Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit. It claims to provide companies, communities and consumers with a path to sustainable travel and tourism. Green Globe provides benchmarking and certification for over 20 business sectors in the travel and tourism industry and has participants in all continents and 48 countries.

Green Power
www.greenpower.com.au

The Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) was established by the NSW government in 1996 to promote products and services that reduce energy related greenhouse emissions while achieving economic, environmental and social benefits for the NSW community. SEDA pursues this objective by fostering sustainable energy supply and end use through education and market transformation, targeted energy efficiency programs, and financial support to emerging sustainable energy technologies.

SEDA established the Green Power Accreditation Program in 1997. The program which SEDA now manages on behalf of the National Green Power Accreditation Steering Group was expanded nationally in 2000. The Steering group is comprised of member state agencies from Victoria, Queensland, the ACT, South Australia and Western Australia.

Marine Stewardship Council
www.msc.org

The MSC's role is to re-organise, via the certification program, well-managed fisheries and to harness consumer preference for products bearing the MSC label of approval. The MSC is a non-profit international organisation. Australia hosts the first fishery certified by the MSC standard (West Australian Rock Lobster Fishery) and has some 25 products from certified fisheries available in Australian retail outlets including fish from the NZ hoki fishery and the Alaskan salmon fishery.