Has anyone heard of "Tested Green.Org"?

[Greencabinets]

Has anyone heard of this website? Tested Green Certification

It seems a bit strange that you can certify your own business.

Thanks,

Kathleen
Green Cabinets Direct: Design Services | Green Cabinetry | Eco-Friendly Cabinets | Low VOC | Formaldehyde Free | Sustainable

[mebinsights]

A company I represent got an e-mail solicitation from them that got sent to junk mail. When they discovered it I was asked to check it out for them. It looks to me like all you are doing is paying a fee to get the "Tested Green" logo/seal and you do not have to prove any "green" compliance. I have been unable, as yet, to find any documentation that would indicate this seal is of any value and is accepted as some sort of "green" validation.

[GreenBuildings]

I am also trying to investigate this certification a little more. Our company received an email solicitation as well. I agree that it seems odd that you can simply pay for a certification, without really proving your green practices. A quick google search shows that there are a few companies out there who seem to have bought into this, as they advertised their "Tested Green" certification. Has anyone else looked into this further??

[dbruce]

I just did a little research on Tested Green and it is disturbing. Their one endorser is “The National Green Business Association and The Center For Sustainable Business Development” Go to their site and behold the information they provide-- literally:, “HTis is aiskdl;kj a jd fjad ja; kdjf ;akj j kajkjlkj; ajkj aj ;j kj j kjd ;lfj a;jfa ;djf ja;ld fj;ak j ;ja; dkfja; j;ka j;lajd;fkj a;dkj;j jds ;ak dfjk;a j;kj j ;j kadjf ;kajfkl akj alkj fj ;adjf jfoiqnfqknoq nqnwe fnq oinqonqw.” Now just in case they update this anytime soon, I've attached a screen shot: (which may or may not show up but is available here).

Now, given this and their claim that they represent over 20,000 small businesses, why would a google search on their domain (ngbacenter.org) only turn up "Tested Green" as pointing to them? I smell a scam, a foul and careless scam. Tested Green has absolutely no credentials and anyone publishing their logo will eventually be exposed as greenwashing, too.

[zach]

Nice! Looks like both sites are on the same server. My guess would be that both organizations were created by the same person.

I just did a little research on Tested Green and it is disturbing. Their one endorser is “The National Green Business Association and The Center For Sustainable Business Development” Go to their site and behold the information they provide-- literally:, “HTis is aiskdl;kj a jd fjad ja; kdjf ;akj j kajkjlkj; ajkj aj ;j kj j kjd ;lfj a;jfa ;djf ja;ld fj;ak j ;ja; dkfja; j;ka j;lajd;fkj a;dkj;j jds ;ak dfjk;a j;kj j ;j kadjf ;kajfkl akj alkj fj ;adjf jfoiqnfqknoq nqnwe fnq oinqonqw.” Now just in case they update this anytime soon, I've attached a screen shot: (which may or may not show up but is available here).

Now, given this and their claim that they represent over 20,000 small businesses, why would a google search on their domain (ngbacenter.org) only turn up "Tested Green" as pointing to them? I smell a scam, a foul and careless scam. Tested Green has absolutely no credentials and anyone publishing their logo will eventually be exposed as greenwashing, too.

[thegreenlivingplace]

I had not heard of Tested Green but I have been trying to find out more information on the Green Business Association.

They certified my business as Green by simply answering a few questions on line and downloading a checklist and agreeing to use it.

The biggest difference between Tested Green and Green Business Assoc. is that GBA is a free membership. Which to me would be more along the right lines.

I understand how manufacturing processes could be certified "Green" sort of. But Green compared to...what? I understand Green services and Green products...but again GREEN compared to...what? The computer I am answering this post from is powered by renewable energy, but does that make me Green?

We have NO national or world standards of what Green really is. I was really hoping that this question would be addressed in Copenhagen this month. But I can not see where this is even being addressed at all.

I own and run a company that designs, builds and installs renewable energy sources. Mainly for houseboats, am I a Green company? I do everything I know to do to reduce my Carbon Footprint, but is my company truly Green? I hope so, but what do I compare it too?

And now I have stared way off subject, again. And I am about to start ranting on this subject, because it is dear to my heart.

Maybe those of us here,on this site could layout an initial guideline and present to the World governments as a starting place to defining GREEN?

[Lesley]

Tested Green definitely sounds like a scam. It implies way too much trust and responsibility on the part of the business owner to actually uphold green principles. However, this is an interesting route for "green certification." Many people complain that the LEED system is stringent, long, and difficult. Perhaps, in the future, green certification may be done online (just like university degrees). I think this concept is very primitive at this time, but it may be considered in the future.

[longcall911]

TestedGreen.org does nothing to convince me that it is at all trustworthy. Unfortunately, with "getting green" being so popular these days, every scammer and his brother is out there capitalizing on the movement.

[winksmith]

Update on Tested Green - they now say they are endorsed by the National Association of Government Contractors (NAGC) and the National Green Business Association.
NAGC is also located at 1250 Connecticut Ave. in DC, same address listed for TestedGreen!
The National Green Business Association still has the giberish website mentioned above, but is also probably intentionally created to cause confusion with the Green Business Assocation.
Does anyone know how long NAGC has been around?

Not sure where or how to start exposing these things as scams?

[shiela_robins]

On my end here my browser can't seem to connect to both sites. It shows a " server offline" message.