Trucking isn’t the only industry attempting to become more environmentally aware.

According to an article in USA Today, a recent report from GreenBiz.com, a website and research firm that studies business and the environment, sheds some light on the new trend among U.S. companies attempting to go “green.”

The report, titled “State of Green Business 2008,” says U.S. companies are making progress but still have a long way to go to improve environmental practices, the paper said.

“There’s a green business revolution taking place, but it’s just getting started,” says Joel Makower, executive editor of GreenBiz.com.

According to the firm’s report, companies are facing three obstacles:

Toxic emissions - The report said several U.S. industries still “spew” lead, mercury and toxic materials into the environment, and that these materials could be reduced substantially by current technology.

No standards - There are no widespread U.S. or global standards or reliable data out there to define or measure the business practices that make a company “green,” the report said.

Misleading claims - The report found that various market-research studies have revealed that many companies make unfounded or misleading claims that their products are “green.” Skeptical consumers don’t want to pay higher prices for the goods or services, according to the report.

GreenBiz did have some good news, and they offered praise to a handful of companies for their environmental efforts - in areas such as energy efficiency, reduction of toxic emissions, paper use and recycling, clean-technology investments and patents and other practices.

Companies such as Target, Dell, Citigroup, Philips and Wal-mart, among others, were touted by the report as truly believing green practices will improve their overall operations, attract customers and boost revenue, USA Today said.

The trucking industry was also praised, along with the automotive industry and car rental companies, for doing their part to help the environment.  The report said high gas prices and consumer demand is motivating the industry to use more fuel-efficient or alternative-fuel vehicles.

There is one big quandary, according to Makower.  He said a lot of environmental gains made by U.S. companies could be wiped out by economic growth, and that there is no way to know for sure how much the efforts by green companies will actually help the environment, USA Today said.