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Green Your Shopping Trip

A simple way to green your life is by choosing eco-friendly products. When walking down the grocery isle at your local market so many products are labeled “eco-friendly”, “recycled”, and “organic” just to name a few. With so many “green” and eco-friendly products on the market, how do you know which is the real deal? These tips will give you the knowledge on how to choose which eco-friendly products are right for you and your family.

Look for certification.  There are a handful of reliable and trust worthy certifications you can reference. Use these as your guide to choose the best eco-friendly products. These are the seals you are going to want to keep an eye out for “federal government’s Energy Star designation on appliances and electronics; the USDA organic seal on food and cosmetics; Green Seal (and, in Canada, EcoLogo) on household cleaning products; and the Forest Stewardship Council logo on wood and paper products.”

Be Aware. With the current trend of “going green” companies are changing the product packaging to remain part of the trend, when they really aren’t going green! Look for specific words such as “natural,” “green,” “eco,” “nontoxic” and even “biodegradable”. These words make a product look eco-friendly however they aren’t currently regulated however “organic” and “recycled” are!

Buy Local. One of the best ways to be certain your fruits and veggies are fresh and organic is simply purchasing from your local farmers. Produce bought from your local growers do not have to be sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals.  You are also supporting your local economy and local produce tends to be a little bit cheaper than produce from the grocery store.

Trust Your Gut. If it sounds too good to be true, unfortunately most times it is. Make sure to do your research before making any major purchases and check out consumer reports as well as GoodGuide.com. Good Guide rates products from 1-10 on their eco-friendliness. Just because a company is saying they are “green” does not mean that they are.

Sources: NBCNews.com