The only place you’ll find EPEAT labeling is on computers—but not for long. The ever-growing environmental concern that is the television industry has—somewhat reluctantly—agreed to partcipate in the voluntary labeling system that has now become known as a valuable standard for desktops, laptops and monitors.

It’s not the first environmentally-geared rating system being applied to televisions, of course. Energy Star certification has not only been around for awhile, but has been consistently moving toward certified models requiring more significant energy savings over conventional models. Energy Star certification, however, only takes into account the energy efficiency of a television, whereas EPEAT for televisions will not measure energy use but instead assess the environmental impact that components like lead, mercury and chemical flame retardents will have. Televisions that contain lesser amounts of environmentally damaging materials will rank well.

Because current EPEAT labeling on a computer also means the product is Energy Star certified it’s possible that EPEAT labeling on TVs will also require Energy Star certification on that particular set, in which case the EPEAT label could become the primary label to look for when consumers seek out greener screens. Critics have expressed concern, however, about the more complicated labeling system that EPEAT uses, citing the simplicity of Energy Star certification as an easier way for shoppers to determine the best TV. Click here to read more

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We’re excited to announce that Greenzer and MSN Green have launched a new partnership through which Greenzer is powering a green shopping service on MSN Green. The new shopping destination can be accessed at green.msn.com/shopping.

MSN has established a strong green presence on the web and our collaboration will help them further advance their offering to users. In addition to the jointly launched shopping section, MSN Green offers a wonder of resources including a local directory of recycling centers, a carbon footprint calculator as well as daily news and guides on key environmental topics. Greenzer will also be providing content to MSN related to green product and lifestyle advice.

As part of the partnership, MSN is also featuring the Greenzer Score on relevant products. This will help raise awareness on some of the key labels and rating groups featured in the Greenzer Score, including Climate Counts, EPEAT and Energy Star.

Greenzer is proud to be joining a group of partners that includes Treehugger.com, Environmental Defense Fund, Earth 911, Conservation International and Grist.org

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