There are more products that now claim to be earth friendly than ever before, but how do we know these products live up to their claims?
The EPA has its own label that you can look for on products called the Design for Environment. You've probably seen the labels on products at the store. It is supposed to help you quickly identify products that are safe for your family. They are screened by the EPA. You can learn more about the label here and the standards here.
For a list of products with this label go here.
Consumer Reports has one of the best explanations of what some of the eco-friendly labels really mean. You can go here plug in the type of label you are looking for and find out what they mean. You can also search for a product or certifying agency here.
And the company March issue of Shop Smart magazine has a terrific article on what kinds of chemicals you should try to avoid and some possible alternatives.
Cleaning 101 is another site that provides information on everyday cleaning products you may already use.
Makeup and beauty products are completely different. The Environmental Working Group has a terrific web site that lets you search your makeup and beauty products to find out what’s in them. You can also search to find what they consider to be the safest products.
Some of what you read might scare you and some of the companies dispute the dangers found here, but at least it's a place to see what's really in what you're putting on your body.
Buying green is definitely becoming more challenging because there is no one group that overseas all of these products. So the best advice is to do your homework before you spend your own green on someone’s green pitch.
