Many consumers do not normally purchase products that are labeled as environmentally-friendly.  This may be due to the fact that they do not value their superior environmental performance.  It may also, however, be due to the fact that they do not understand the nature of their environmental performance — or do not connect this performance with their own values and priorities.  This is understandable, as consumers are often only exposed to very limited information — e.g. a tiny label with one or two words and a green leaf on it — about the environmental performance of the products they buy.  Perhaps if they are exposed to more information about the certification, they would be more likely to purchase these products.

In order to test this information exposure hypothesis, we have begun creating innovative videos about a range of different environmental certifications and ratings, from USDA Organic to grassfed beef certification to certified green restaurants.  The goal of this project is to test the effects of different forms of information on consumers’ willingness to pay for certified products.  Some of these videos focus on the technical requirements of these certifications, while others emphasize their social and environmental benefits.  In the next phase of this project, we will test the effects of these videos on consumer preferences for products across a range of different categories.  If you would like to check out some of the videos we have produced so far, see below.  These videos were all produced by Davidson students enrolled in POL 328: The Politics of Information, with resources and assistance from Davidson’s Connolly Media Lab.

Researchers Involved in this Project: Cakey Worthington, John Edgerton, David Schermbeck, Zach Seaverns, Graham Bullock

Informational Videos about B-Corp Certification (By David Schermbeck)

• What is a B-Corps? (2:26)
• Our Environment (3:46)
• 12 Ways to Become a B-Corp (1:31)

Watch all three videos on the YouTube playlist below:

Informational Videos about Certified Grassfed Beef (By Cakey Worthington)

• The Story of Grassfed Beef (3:52)
• The Truth about Grassfeed Beef (5:18)
• An Analysis of Grassfed Beef (5:45)

Watch all three videos on the YouTube playlist below:

Informational Videos about Green Restaurant Certification (By Zach Seaverns)

• A Guide to Green Restaurant Certification (3:04)
• The Green Sage: A Certified Green Restaurant (3:08)
• Certified Green Restaurants: A Better Choice (2:59)

Watch all three videos on the YouTube playlist below:

Informational Videos about USDA Organic Certification (By John Edgerton)

• What is USDA Organic (3:55)
• Choose Organic (3:06)
• Go On Get Certified (4:02)

Watch all three videos on the YouTube playlist below: