Green Labels
Greentips: January 2003
Have your past resolutions to be a greener consumer foundered on false advertising claims? Then you're not alone. When every product boasts about being good for the environment, it's impossible to know which, if any, really are. But now a number of green certification schemes are making it easier to tell the difference... if you know which ones to trust. Here is a list of eco-seals and labels that really mean something.
ENERGY STAR - This government label was created in 1992 to identify energy-efficient appliances. Over time, the labeling program, which is co-administered by the Environmental Protection Agency and
Department of Energy, expanded to cover a much wider range of items, from computers and air conditioners to dishwashers and new homes. Energy Star-labeled brands sometimes sell for more, but they're always much cheaper to operate since they consume less energy than competing brands.
GREEN SEAL - Much like Consumer Reports, the Green Seal organization picks different product categories and evaluates the various brands in each category. Products that have been evaluated to date include carpets, compact fluorescent lighting, cleaners, writing and copier paper, paper towels, fiberboard, and air conditioning, and the list is expanding all the time. The company publishes the best brands in each category on its website (see below).
GREEN-E - If your state has undergone electricity restructuring, you can choose your power supplier much as you choose your long-distance phone service. This gives you the opportunity to buy power generated from renewable sources (e.g., sun, wind, plants, moving water) rather than nuclear or fossil fuels. The Green-e label, administered by the Center for Resource Solutions, identifies companies that generate at least 50% of their power from renewable sources. Even if your state does not allow you to choose your power supplier, you have the ability to buy Tradable Renewable Certificates or "green tags" from any supplier in the United States. These certificates, which can also receive the Green-e label, do not replace your normal energy bill and do not deliver renewable energy to your local area, but they do help increase the overall demand for renewable energy in the United States.
FSC - Look for this seal from the Forest Stewardship Council when purchasing wood and wood products. It verifies that the forest from which the wood comes is being managed in a sustainable manner. While there are other legitimate wood certification programs, this one is best because it tracks products from the forest floor all the way to the store shelf.
USDA ORGANIC - This new government seal, unveiled in October 2002 by the United States Department of Agriculture, identifies food that is either organically grown or made from organic ingredients. Foods labeled as "organic" contain at least 95% organically produced ingredients. A "made with organic" label means that the product contains at least 70% organic ingredients. Products that contain fewer than 70% organic ingredients cannot bear the USDA Organic seal or display the word "organic" on the front of the package.
GREENERCARS.COM - This is not a seal, but a website that provides environmental rankings for cars. Sponsored by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the site lists the best and worst models each year. To access the full list, you need to pay a modest fee.
This list of eco-labels is not meant to be comprehensive. There are other good ones out there, but trust them only if you know something about them. A lot of "greenwashing" goes on in the marketplace, so caveat emptor—let the buyer beware!
