Many people don’t realize the significant impact they can have on our environment through the use of eco-friendly products. One problem many people encounter when trying to pick environmentally friendly products is there is no universally identifiable standard which all eco-friendly products must adhere to. Instead, there are many third party organizations that establish standards in specific product areas. For example, if you were looking for an eco-friendly home appliance, you may consider limiting your search to Energy Star compliant products.
In cases where there is no eco-friendly standard for the product you are considering, you might want to look at the attributes of the product itself to help make your decision.
A few things you might consider:
- Look to see if the product is made of recycled, recyclable, or other eco-friendly materials.
- If one product is graded as more durable than the other, it can be considered more eco-friendly because it won’t need to be replaced as often.
- If the product uses energy, look to see how much energy is consumed versus other like models.
- If the product uses water, look how much it uses versus other like models.
- Products that increase time between usage. If your product is more efficient and you need to use it less, it could have less impact on the environment.
powerful impact on the health of their family and the planet
through the materials and products they select for their home.
According to a study by the Worldwatch Institutei, 40% of the
world’s materials and energy are used by buildings and 30% of
newly-built or -renovated buildings suffer from “sick building
syndrome,” exposing occupants to potentially unhealthy air.
Your home can be different.
