In an effort to encourage ecologically sustainable forestry practices, an international organization started issuing certifications to wood companies that meet high ecological standards by conserving resources and recycling materials. Companies that receive this certification can attract customers by advertising their product as ecocertified. Around the world, many wood companies have adopted new, ecologically friendly practices in order to receive ecocertification. However, it is unlikely that wood companies in the United Stated will do the same, for several reasons.
为了能过促进林业的可持续发展，有个国际组织开始着手给那些达到了环保和再生利用要求的木材公司颁发认证。获得认证的公司可以在广告商宣传自己是环保的，进而吸引消费者。在全球范围内来看，为了能得到环保认证，很多木材公司已经开始采用了环保策略。然而，就美国的公司来讲不太会采取同样的措施，原因如下。
First, American consumers are exposed to so much advertising that they would not value or even pay attention to the ecocertification label. Because so many mediocre products are labeled "new" or "improved," American consumers do not place much trust in advertising claims in general.
首先，由于每天接受大量广告的轰炸，美国消费者对于环保标签并不是很在意。由于很多的普通产品都标榜"创新"或者"升级"，美国消费者对于广告上生成的东西基本上不怎么信任。
Second, ecocertified wood will be more expensive than uncertified wood because in order to earn ecocertification, a wood company must pay to have its business examined by a certification agency. This additional cost gets passed on to consumers – American consumers tend to be strongly motivated by price, and therefore they are likely to choose cheaper uncertified wood products. Accordingly, American wood companies will prefer to keep their prices low rather than obtain ecocertification.
第二，环保认证后的木材会比普通木材价格昂过，因为木材公司必须向认证机构支付审核费用才能得到相关的'认证。这份额外的支出将会转嫁给消费者，而美国的消费者对于价格非常敏感。因而，他们将倾向于选择便宜的没有认证的产品。因而，美国的木材公司还是会选择低价格而非环保认证。
Third, although some people claim that it always makes good business sense for American companies to keep up with the developments in the rest of the world, this argument is not convincing. Pursuing certification would make sense for American wood companies only if they marketed most of their products abroad. But that is not the case – American wood businesses sell most of their products in the United States, catering to a very large customer base that is satisfied with the merchandise.
第三，尽管有人声称这样可以使美国的公司保持敏锐的商业触觉，跟上世界发展的脚步。但是，这样的说法是站不住脚的。只有当美国的木材公司主要市场是针对海外的时候，追求环保认证才变得有意义。但事实却并非如此。美国木材公司的产品主要在美国销售，而满足了主要消费者的需求就可以保证商业运行顺畅。
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