With eco-consciousness being taken more seriously in the public eye and “green” as the new buzz word it is no shock that the big companies are doing all they can to manipulate information and paint themselves in a greener light. As you’ve probably noticed this manipulation is called green washing and you’ve most likely seen it all around you. It is hard to know who to trust and the pressure is really on the consumer to be informed enough to know how to read labels and do the research on their own.
A website that is tremendously helpful in decreasing the footwork consumers have to do is GreenerChoices.org. Their eco-label center is a helpful area dedicated to deciphering those labels and buzz words in an easy search format. They have managed to sum up in one space the things some of us have spent years figuring out as we go and some of the new tricks up the corporate sleeves. They conduct their own testing of claimed “natural” products and see if they live up to their claims as well as dispel misconceptions. You will also find handy calculators to figure out the best way to save energy with your appliances, your car, and you can even calculate your overall carbon footprint.
NPR’s Here and Now did an interview with their senior scientist and here is what they had to say:
Green Products
As the environmental movement goes mainstream, companies have rushed to meet the growing consumer demand for “green” cleaning products. But some of the products might not be as “green” as they claim to be. Dr. Urvashi Rangan, the senior scientist for Consumer Union and the project director for Consumer Reports’ greenerchoices.org, evaluates some of the choices.
Tracy Perkins | Posted in 
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