Green
Eco Friendly
All Natural
BPA Free
Biodegradable
Environmentally Friendly
Recycled
Recyclable
Non Toxic
Organic
You should buy this right NOW (and then feel good about yourself)!
Eco Friendly
All Natural
BPA Free
Biodegradable
Environmentally Friendly
Recycled
Recyclable
Non Toxic
Organic
You should buy this right NOW (and then feel good about yourself)!
With more and more of the general public turning their eye to the environment and their general well-being, a trend has arisen around eco-friendly and "green" products. This has created a slew of buzzwords that are being slapped liberally on many a product. What does half of this stuff really mean anyways?
I'm going to tackle them one by one in future blogs.
Unfortunately, there is no bureau monitoring these exciting claims that make consumers feel like they are doing their part. Many get duped into spending extra money unnecessarily. We are totally into saving money. We are also into spending a little bit more here and there when it is warranted, but we pick these places carefully. (One is eggs... I'm a firm believer in buying really good eggs!!!) :) But I digress. My point is: if you are going to spend your hard earned money on something that will benefit your family and the earth, you want to know it is really doing just that. Don't avoid these labels, but look a little deeper or send me an email if you have a question - I'm always happy to do some investigative web searches. Also, find out where it is important for your family to spend a little extra to do more good; although for a good many situations, the green alternative can save you money if you know where to look.
Looking toward the future, certifications will set the standards and help consumers sort through the jargon. If the certifications are legit and stand on firm ground, they will create a credible way to assist in true green purchasing. Such certifications include Greenguard Certification Program for indoor air quality and the Rainforest Alliance Certification for products. Check out http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/green-living/shopthefrog to find certified products in your area.
Stay tuned for detailed profiles of different certifications and what they really mean. Also, be on the lookout for my:
Green Wash Alerts!
In these blogs, I will sniff out deceptive green washing and provide alternatives that actually fit the green bill.One site, sinsofgreenwashing.org has some great info presented in an entertaining manner about the evils of marketing mumbo jumbo.(If you go to tools, you can print an AWESOME wallet card that will help with purchasing.) Unfortunately, they seem to end their whistle blower alerts at 2010, but there is still tons of great info.
<SOAPBOX ALERT>
One of the items on the green washing wallet card addresses "Sins of Irrelevance." I actually found something like that last week. Someone pointed me to a multilevel marketing company advertising "natural cleaning products" for the home. In the first place, I think most products along those lines can be a waste of money, because the best "natural" cleaning products I've found are everyday items like vinegar and baking soda. But just for fun, I looked into them anyways. The first red flag I saw was fragrance (not essential oils) in almost everything. The next thing that stopped my search dead in its tracks was the main "eco friendly" claim of some air freshener: free of CFCs. I laughed out loud - seriously I did. CFCs are freaking illegal, nobody uses them. Don't try to confuse me with dumb claims. errgh *closes browser* </SOAPBOX> I will go back and look deeper, of course, to see if there are any products that may fit in my criteria, but that kind of crappy marketing is just frustrating to me. I hate to see them trying to trick consumers.
Anyways... print out this nifty card http://sinsofgreenwashing.org/indexce0e.pdf for information on each certification that you can take with you on all of your purchasing journeys. There are even cute little lines telling you where to cut and fold! Yay! Project.
Stay tuned for much much more!!!!
Love to All,
Val
At Eco Made Easy we are dedicated into reading deeply into claims to find out which ones are legit. We have built our idea for our organization upon the cornerstone of obsessive and thorough research. We want to find a solution that works for your family and will research for you like it is for our family.
Contact us today for information on how we can give you eco-counseling that fits in your budget for a cleaner, healthier space! ecomadeasyVal@gmail.com
