Environmental sustainability is the ability to sustain the aspects that are valued in the physical environment or the act of utilizing them without depletion. In fact, there are four main perspectives on environment sustainability. From an ecologist viewpoint, it is possible to achieve sustainability when humans do not interfere in nature at all. Ecologists argue that plants and animals are internally related and interference in their habitat will trigger undesired consequences. The second viewpoint originates from a conservationist angle. Conservationists subscribe to the notion that humans can exploit the environmental resources but in a manner that is not wasteful. Conservationists do not oppose mankind’s exploitation of the environment but rather the negative effects. The third perspective on sustainability is from First Nations and Metis Ways which holds the notion that the earth gave human resources as gifts, and people should only use what they need. Another viewpoint on environmental sustainability is the utilitarian perspective. Utilitarianism assesses the intent of one’s actions; thus, it involves judging actions as right or wrong. Contemporary utilitarianism takes into consideration such environmental risks as ozone depletion, global warming, deforestation, and pollution, among others.
Most people want to sustain the capabilities of the natural environment to maintain favorable living conditions and aspects of the environment that give renewable resources. Apart from the above desirable aspects of sustainability, the functioning of society regardless of depletion of non-renewable resources and the quality of life, among others, are the intended targets of sustainability. ‘Eco-labeling’ refers to a voluntary method of environmental performance accreditation and labeling practiced globally. Therefore, an eco-label is a sticker that recognizes generally proven environmental inclination of a product within the respective category. Unlike green stickers and associated claim statements, eco-labels are awarded by impartial third-parties in relation to certain products that are independently verified to satisfy transparent environmental leadership criteria. Moreover, eco-labels are based on lifecycle considerations. The paper will explore eco-labeling as an environmental policy tool and as a potential trade barrier. The paper will also focus on some well-known eco-labeling programs such as Blue Angel programmer in Germany, Forest Stewardship Council, and Marine Stewardship Council, among others.
Eco-Labels
Eco-labels and green stickers refer to labeling systems for food and consumer products. While the law mandates stickers, eco-labels are voluntary. For instance, major appliances and automobiles in North America use Energy Star eco-label. In this aspect, an eco-label is a form of sustainability metrification directed at consumers so as they find it easy to take into account environmental concerns when shopping. Other labels quantify pollution or energy consumption via index scores. Moreover, they are labels that simply reinforce compliance with a set of practices for sustainability. Apparently, eco-labeling systems were started by NGOs with the European Union, subsequently legislating conduct of eco-labeling. In fact, the European Union has developed its eco-labels for food and consumer products categories.