Environmental Leader

Businesses wanting to educate consumers about their “greener” side can do so via a mobile phone application from 3rdWhale.

Consumers who download the application to their mobile phones, including iPhones and other devices, can learn about everything from yoga centers to bicycle shops to organic restaurants right around them, according to 3rdWhale spokeswoman Emily Jubenvill.

Every business is tagged with “what makes them green” and has a business description to further explain the company’s values. Plus, users can review and rate businesses on how green they think they are, Jubenvill said.

Jubenvill said 3rdWhale currently features 20,000 business listings in 14 North American cities and is adding more.

“We’ve gone through already existing green business directories and associations including. Co op America, Bay Area Green Business, etc., and checked out each entry to confirm that they fit within our scope of ‘green’,” Jubenvill said. “Our scope of ‘green’ also includes health and wellness because we feel this is important to personal sustainability.”

Jubenvill said 3rdWhale is being as transparent as possible about why each business has been included by tagging each one with what makes it green.

“For example, a Thai vegetarian restaurant would be included and simply tagged ‘vegetarian, Thai,’” she said. “Switching to a vegetarian diet is a major step in reducing your personal ecological footprint.”

A restaurant that is certified as organic, or has received certification for its energy efficiency or water conservation, would be noted as such, she said.

Companies that aren’t listed at 3rdWhale, but would like to be, can apply here.