Interview with Laurel House, Chief Green Officer of GreenIQ.com
By Jason Sperling
GreenIQ.com is an online calculator that measures how green you are by taking BOTH your carbon emissions and green lifestyle choices into account.
Like a scale for body weight, the GreenIQ Score lets you easily gauge where you stand right now on the green scale. It also shows you how daily eco decisions- like recycling, turning off the water when brushing your teeth, shipping green, and buying locally grown food- make a difference when it comes to your impact on the environment.
Their mission is to show consumers that every little bit counts and that doing your part can and will help in the fight against global warming. I caught up with Laurel House, the Chief Green Officer of GreenIQ, to find out more about getting my own GreenIQ and to see if she had any suggestions for
Jason Sperling: I love this concept! Can you walk me through the typical experience of how I get my GreenIQ?
Laurel: We ask questions that address your Transportation, Home, and Lifestyle. We begin by asking about your Transportation (Air, Car, Public transit, walking/biking). Then we move on to your home energy and utility use (electricity, gas, water). Finally we ask about your daily lifestyle choices- everything from recycling to buying organic. Once we have the necessary carbon and environmental information, we compute your GreenIQ. We also offer green product suggestions and tips to help further green your life.
Jason Sperling: What is the science behind GreenIQ?
Laurel: The user's carbon emissions are calculated using national and localized emission data. The user's environmental impacts are divided into direct and indirect impacts which are assigned different weights depending on lifestyle choices.
Jason Sperling: You have some exciting programs coming up in the next couple months – I think my favorite is “Ecofabulous Lust List.” Can you explain how that works?
Laurel: We are beginning to create partnerships with other Green companies to expand our offerings and show GreenIQ users the many ways in which they can add more green to their lives and therefore increase their GreenIQ. EcoFabulous and their amazing gift guides is one of the companies we have selected to work with. We love their new Lust List- proving that green is sexy.
Jason Sperling: I have to ask about your logo (mascot?). Why did you pick a frog?
Laurel: Like the ”canary in the coal mine” sent in to the mines to detect toxic gases before humans dared enter, frogs are also sensitive creatures vulnerable to environmental pollutants deeming them a symbol of the health of the environment. Frogwatching has revealed that climate change, UV radiation, pollution, and habitat loss are all contributing to decline and even extinction of certain frog species.
Our frog is healthy and strong symbolizing that if we all can increase our GreenIQs we will maintain the health of our amphibian friends.
Jason Sperling: For those of us who are trying to be healthy candy bars are out. What kind of eco-sweets can you recommend?
Laurel: Chocolate is my Achilles heel. I love Dagoba Organic Chocolate, especially their Madagascar Single Origin! The Organic Handmade Truffles from Organic Bouquet are sublime. For straight not (not that I am suggesting you eat it straight, but maybe bake your own organic cookies and cupcakes) try Alter Eco’s Organic UnrefinedGround Cane Sugar.
Not into sugar but need a sweet fix? I love Organic Medjool Dates. They are truly nature’s candy. When you get them during their peak (September-December) they are honey creamy and perfectly sweet.
Jason Sperling: Any personal goals for 2008?
Laurel: Minimize my air travel to lower my carbon emissions. Further green my yoga practice with an eco yoga mat and bamboo or soy clothes.
You can get eco-yoga mats at Barefoot Yoga Co. They are really great and made with natural rubber and jute fiber.
About Jason Sperling
Jason Sperling is the Co-Founder of Prairie Tree Project and ShipGreen. He is devoted to developing a green life and helping people and companies do the same. You can learn more about him on his blog.
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