With Majesty

For 25 years, Prince Charles has been calling for better environmental stewardship. Along the way, he has endured ribbing by the British press (not known for their patience or ability to be sated), but this Prince who has never seemed to put much stock in public opinion has remained passionate about sustainable initiatives - in particular, organic farming and better development of the built environment. Now he's going a step further, proposing that products bear labels showing the environmental costs of developing them and bringing them to market.

By "Accounting for Sustainability", the label would clearly quantify a product's carbon footprint for any shopper to see. Enabling not only greater awareness in the store aisles but giving a competitive foothold for local farmers and manufacturers whose green advantages outweigh their ability to keep costs low through mass production. Not to mention helping consumers push for the greater good by using every purchase, every dollar spent, to call for a healthier planet.

We never guessed that Charles was a copywriter, but it turns out we're messaging mates: in today's market, taglines should get second billing. We need transparency. Read about the Prince's journey toward sustainability in this month's Vanity Fair (its second annual Green Issue), on newsstands or at this link.