Graham Bullock recently co-published an article with Hamish van der Ven in Organization and Environment on “The Shadow of the Consumer: Analyzing the Importance of Individual Consumers to the Impacts of Ratings, Certifications, and Eco-Labels.” The authors explore the question of why market uptake and sophistication of information-based environmental governance (IBEG) programs like eco-labeling have increased despite mixed signals on the willingness and ability of individual consumers to support such programs? They… Read More

According to Graham Bullock’s recent review, Magali Delmas and David Colgan’s new book, The Green Bundle: Pairing the Market with the Planet, “provides an accessible, informed, and actionable discussion of a set of ideas that have the potential to catalyze a significant increase in the uptake of sustainable products. Practitioners, students, and scholars alike should find it to be a useful source of practical insights on consumers and the greening of the… Read More

Graham Bullock recently published a chapter on “How to Counteract Consumer Product Misinformation” in an edited volume from the University of Texas Press, Misinformation and Mass Audiences. Framing the discussion with the example of Volkswagen’s fraudulent claims related to its vehicles’ gas mileage, the chapter presents a conceptual framework outlining five primary mechanisms for counteracting misinformation that builds on insights from the academic literature. These include bans, taxes, counter-advertising, and self-regulation. Bullock… Read More

This Friday, MIT Press will release a new book by Graham Bullock, Director of the Sustainability Information Lab. The book, Green Grades: Can Information Save the Earth directly addresses the debate between “information pessimists” and “information optimists” over the effectiveness of the hundreds of eco-labels, environmental ratings, and sustainability certifications that have inundated our lives in recent years, from organic food to LEED-rated buildings to ENERGY STAR-certified appliances. It provides a comprehensive… Read More

How have food and electronics evaluations of products and companies — and what they claim about themselves — changed over time?

Can an individual sustainability certification influence consumers to decrease their environmental footprints at home and at work?

Can consumers’ values be activated in ways that increase their intentions to buy green products?

How do mental budgeting categories influence consumer choices?

These Research Assistants will work with Professor Graham Bullock on analyzing product eco-labels, corporate sustainability ratings, and government regulations relevant to the food and electronics industries. One position will focus on food certifications such as Rainforest Alliance, Food Alliance, USDA Organic, Certified Naturally Grown, and UTZ, while the other will focus on electronics certifications such as EPEAT, ENERGY STAR, HP’s Eco Highlights, Phillip’s Green Products, and TCO.  For more information about these… Read More