As the eco-friendly boom is hitting us we have all noticed many products out there declaring to be “Green”, such as furniture, cleaning products, cars, clothing, and even high tech gadgets! The list of "environmentally kind' items to buy goes on and on. It is thrilling to see so many companies going the extra mile to give customers a wide variety of so many environmentally friendly options. Before you go and buy everything with a green label on it, you should be clear on what makes a product or service actually green. A lot can go into classifying if a product is friendly to the environment.
Here is a quick list of some of the factors to consider when looking at a product that would make it green.
• Materials: It is very important that the materials of a product to be natural, biodegradable and help conserve resources. A simple example of green material would be printing paper that was made with recycled newspaper.
• Chemicals: Another resource to keep in mind is the chemical compound of a product as well as if the product produces harmful toxics that can cause pollution. Make sure to avoid buying anything that can cause harm to not only the environment, but also your health.
• Energy: Energy plays a major role in the green world. Therefore, it is important to focus on products that require low maintenance and use less energy. An example would be to choose a product that provides an alternative way to produce a renewable energy source such as solar powered options over fossil fuel.
There is a lot to consider when analyzing the components of a product you are buying is actually 'environmental kind'. The list above notes a few factors to take in consideration while browsing around your favorite store. Even if how green a product is won’t cause a huge deal breaker on whether or not it is ending up in your shopping cart. The choice between two similar items might be easier now if one is friendlier for the environment over the other.
If you want to know more on what is considered green when it comes to products, here are some great websites to help!
• http://www.greenbuildingsupply.com/Learning-Center/Green-Greenwashing-Chemical-Sensitivities-LC/What-Makes-a-Product-Green
• http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/2012/2/2/What-Makes-a-Product-Green/
• http://www.buildinggreen.com/ebn/sample/EBN_Green_Products.pdf
