Green America, formerly known as Co-op America, is a nonprofit membership organization based in the United States that promotes ethical consumerism. It is dedicated to harnessing the economic power of consumers, investors and businesses to promote social justice and environmental sustainability through helping responsible consumers and green businesses find each other in the marketplace. Businesses displaying the Green America Seal of Approval have successfully completed Green America's screening process and have been approved to be listed as a socially and environmentally responsible — or green — businesses in their National Green Pages directory. The Green America Approved seal is given to applicant businesses that operate in ways that support workers, communities, and protect the environment.
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Green America runs several different programs focusing on environmental preservation and on the improvement of human rights. These programs include: Green Business, Fair Trade, Stopping Sweatshops, Climate Action, Green Energy, Responsible Shopper, Social Investing, Community Investing, Shareholder Action, The Better Paper Project, Shop and Unshop, and Boycotts.
Green America, together with Global Exchange and International Labor Rights Forum, initiated the "Raise the Bar, Hershey" Campaign that has so far attracted over 30,000 participants to urge The Hershey Company to go fair trade, as well as adopt more transparent sourcing policies.[1]
Green America hosts The Green Business Conference in both Chicago and San Francisco. The conference functions as both an informational and a networking event. Those who are already “green” or have a desire to be sustainable have the opportunity to learn and teach what they know. Green America, along with Global Exchange, have hosted the Green Festival for the past three years. The Green Festival is an event geared towards uniting green businesses, leading thinkers of the green movement, and thousands of concerned citizens hoping to reduce their environmental footprint. The festival includes exhibitions of green products, green workshops, expert speeches, and other forms of entertainment. Festivals are currently organized in Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Washington, and San Francisco.
The National Green Pages is the only nationwide directory of screened, socially and environmental responsible businesses in the United States. It is intended to connect consumers with green products from green businesses.