At GEF-CSO, we provide readers with honest and unbiased news. To do this we hire the best writers and editors we can to cover an intensifying climate crisis. But good journalism costs money. We believe a writer should be compensated fairly for her work. That’s why we have chosen to generate revenue through advertisements and affiliate content.

Below is an outline of our business and how we support the editorial independence of our coverage:

• GEF-CSO is wholly owned by GEF-CSO LLC, a privately held company
• We make money from on-site advertising; sponsored content; and affiliate revenue
• We never adjust our content or the subjects we cover due to pressure from advertisers or affiliates
• We never avoid covering a subject that is damaging or offensive to a current or potential advertiser
• We maintain a separation between all news writers, product reviewers, and advertiser performance

On-Site Advertising Guidelines

On-site ads are managed by third-party services. We make space available on our site and a third-party places relevant content in those places. We have no connection to these advertisers and they do not influence our work. We hope to grow other streams of revenue so we can scale back the number of display ads on our site. The experience of our readers is important to us.

E-Commerce and Review Guidelines

Mass consumption is harmful to our planet. In a perfect world everyone would own less and drastically reduce their waste. We understand this. We also know people are going to buy food items, supplements, home services, and basic goods every day. We think if we help optimize even some of these purchases toward more sustainable options we can make a difference.

That’s why we write about the best options we find. It’s why, at times, we’ll write about the lesser of evils. We want our readers to be aware of the choices they make in a variety of product and service categories.

In our reviews and guides there are affiliate links. When a reader clicks an affiliate link and makes a purchase, we can earn a commission. We point readers to the best and most useful sites, brands, and shops our writers can find. We keep the writers separate from any business relationships so their recommendations remain unbiased.

Sponsor Content Guidelines

Sponsor Content is created by advertisers. We allow these advertisers to write their own articles and we publish them as the work and opinion of that advertiser. This content does not reflect the opinions of GEF-CSO or our employees. Readers will see that when we publish sponsor content it is labeled “Sponsored” and housed in a directory of that title on our website.

Our policy requires all advertisers provide a logo and/or brand name to accompany their sponsor content. We believe this will make it clearer to readers who purchased the placement and wrote the article.

A Note About Our Journalism

Our journalists do not create advertising content. They are not aware of or regularly updated on the growth of a particular revenue channel. They are here to clarify the most pressing issue of our time through honest, clear, researched reporting. They will never take payments to talk about subjects that pose a conflict of interest or accept gifts or money for influence.

Media is in a new era. Content and commerce occupy the same screen. Our team will do everything we can to make this work in a way that is ethical, fair, and at the service of our readers.