Over 50 retailers in Singapore are running a monthlong event which aims to bring "green," environment friendly and sustainable shopping to the mainstream – online.

The Green Singapore Sale started last week and will run until July 22, offering deals and discounts on "green" products and services.

Eugene Tay, the site's founder, in an interview with The Straits Times said the event aims to address two barriers that he says prevents consumers from buying "green" products and services that are readily available in the market.

The first is that either consumers are not aware that the products and services do exist or they do not know where to find them. The second is the perception that these products and services are expensive.

"While green shopping is not mainstream yet, it's definitely growing in Singapore," Sharon Tay, owner of green boutique The Naturally Better Company, which is among the retailers in the sale, told The Straits Times.

The Green Singapore Sale, the first of its kind in the country, is being organized by Greenstore, a Web site that reviews and promotes environmentally sound goods.

It provides special offers on products such as nontoxic cosmetics and cleaning products, organic clothing and accessories and energy-saving lighting and equipment.

More than 350 consumers have already signed up to receive e-mail updates through the Web site, which can be found at www.greensingaporesale.com. – EcoSeed Staff