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For our seventh installment in our greenwashing series we look at Terrachoice’s Seventh Sin Of Greenwashing: Worshiping False Labels, a new sin that has arisen as a result of increased interest in and demand for green products.
Terrachoice’s first research report came out in 2007 and identified the six greenwashing sins identified in the previous six articles (a full list of which is at the bottom of this post.) In early 2009 Terrachoice published a second report which looked at what had happened in the interim. The latter report found some good news: the number of “green” products is exploding in response to consumer demand.
While greenwashing is still a major problem, legitimate eco-labeling became almost twice as common in 2009 as it was in 2007, with 23% of products reviewed listing a valid eco label. That’s great for consumers trying to bring method to the madness of green shopping, because it brings the light of meaningful third-party certification to an increasing number of truly green products. Valid eco labels help shoppers tell the difference between the green and the greenwashed.
Hearing the clamor from consumers for eco labels, some product marketers are unfortunately trying to create the impression, through words and images, that a valid third-party green endorsement has been given when no such endorsement actually exists. In other words, these companies are slapping fake green labels on their products. Fully 23% of green products evaluated by Terrachoice in its latest report committed this sin of worshiping false labels.
Examples cited included:
- A US brand of aluminum foil with certification-like images referring to the name of the company’s in-house environmental program without giving any explanation about what that meant.
- A Canadian paper towel product that made the bold claim “this product fights global warming.”
- Various products using certification-like images with green buzz words like “eco safe,” “eco secure” or “eco preferred”–all of which are meaningless without context or proof.
It’s inevitable that companies try to tap into increasing demand for green products, but applying a label that looks official to convince the customer of a product’s green credentials is not the way to go.
So how do you avoid this last sin of greenwashing? The only real solution is to become aware of what is considered a good, independently verified eco label and what is not. Here are six major eco labels to look for when doing your shopping:
- Green Seal, found primarily on cleaning and building products. I’ve talked a lot about it here at EcoVillageGreen because I consider it one of the gold standards for eco labels.
- GreenGuard, also used on cleaning and building products, including low-VOC paint.
- EcoLogo, a meaningful Canadian eco label for a wide variety of products.
- Energy Star, a US government label for energy efficient appliances.
- WaterSense, a US government label for water-saving faucets.
- USDA Organic, a US government label for organic foods.
There are other meaningful eco labels that will be covered in future EcoVillageGreen posts, but this short list is a good place to start. If you see an eco label you don’t recognize, be suspicious and do your research. It may be good–but it could just as easily be made up and therefore meaningless.
Seventh in a series. The full list:
How To Avoid Greenwashing Sin #1: The Hidden Trade-Off
How To Avoid Greenwashing Sin #2: No Proof
How To Avoid Greenwashing Sin #3: Vagueness
How To Avoid Greenwashing Sin #4: Irrelevance
How To Avoid Greenwashing Sin #5: Lesser Of Two Evils
How To Avoid Greenwashing Sin #6: Fibbing
How To Avoid Greenwashing Sin #7: Worshiping False Labels
Is A Greener Product Green Enough? Our Greenwashing Series Wrap-Up
I have often recommended Simple Green cleaner as a great industrial-strength cleaner that carries the environmentally friendly Green Seal certification. I still do. However, Simple Green may be a bit much for some people seeking a green cleaning option. It’s strong enough to make your eyes water in concentrated form, and usually needs to be diluted. That can be a hassle.
Simple Green recently announced that a new line of cleaners, Simple Green Naturals, had also received Green Seal certification. The products are Simple Green Naturals Multi-Surface Care
, Simple Green Naturals Bathroom Cleaner
, Simple Green Naturals Glass & Surface Care
, Simple Green Naturals Floor Care
, and Simple Green Naturals Dilutable Concentrated Cleaner
.
All of these products are made from 100% naturally-derived products. (The manufacturer is careful not to use the term “all natural,” which is a meaningless term.) The ingredients are disclosed fully and are either entirely natural (minerals, oils, plant extracts, etc.) or derived from natural sources combined with man-made chemicals that don’t harm the environment. They are fully biodegradable, non-toxic, and don’t use animal testing. The bottles are 100% recyclable, made with 25% post consumer content, and use soy inks for labeling.
Perhaps best of all, these cleaners don’t need to be diluted (except for the concentrated one) so they can be used straight out of the bottle.
You can now have the best of all worlds: a green cleaner that’s tough as nails on grime but gentle as a baby on the environment, straight out of the bottle. I’ve not yet tried these products, but will do so soon and post reviews. If they’re anything like Simple Green’s original cleaner I’m certain they’ll get the job done.
Simple Green Naturals Multi-Surface Care
Simple Green Naturals Bathroom Cleaner
Simple Green Naturals Glass & Surface Care
Simple Green Naturals Floor Care
Simple Green Naturals Dilutable Concentrated Cleaner
Painting your home is an excellent and relatively inexpensive way to remodel. The right choice of paint colors can make the drabbest room come alive!
But what about the effect of paint on the environment and your health? Your local hardware store has hundreds of choices; if you’re looking for more than just color, picking one can be bewildering. It can be hard to find a durable, dependable paint that’s healthy to live around and environmentally friendly.
Volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) are airborne chemicals emitted by most paint. The greatest quantity of VOCs are released while you’re painting, but they keep being released afterward – sometimes for years. They can cause headaches, dizziness, respiratory distress, and other illnesses. (Ever feel overwhelmed by that “new paint” smell that lingers during and after your paint job? Now you know what you’re smelling!) These chemicals are likely to be carcinogenic. They’re also a major contributor to ozone and indoor air pollution.
Increasing demand from consumers and tighter regulations mean that new paint brands have recently been developed which emit fewer to no VOCs. These brands must have 250 or fewer grams per liter (g/l) of volatile organic compounds for flat paint. In my view, even 250 grams per liter is too much; you can find brands out there with much fewer to no VOC’s.
The performance quality of low and no VOC paint has historically been a problem. It would often be thinner, splash too much, rub off easily, not cover well, and just not look as good. Technological advances and increased demand for low VOC paint have resulted in new paint lines that eliminate all or most of these problems. It is now possible to find low VOC paint that’s durable, applies well, and looks great.
There are two relevant third-party certifications that test for and guarantee low quantities of VOC’s: Green Seal and GreenGuard. Green Seal certifies that a paint’s VOC content is 50 g/l or lower for flat and 100 g/l for non-flat paint. GreenGuard allows only traces of VOC’s to be found.
Here are three high-quality low VOC paint brands that bear one of these certifications and have also been tested by Consumer Reports (CR) for factors like hiding defects, smoothness, ease of cleaning without rubbing off, mildew resistance, and so on. (References to rank refer to all paints tested, not just low/no VOC brands.)
1) Benjamin Moore Aura (GreenGuard): I personally consider Benjamin Moore paint to be the gold standard for quality and vibrancy of color, having used it over and over again for various paint projects over the years. I’ve not yet used the low-VOC Aura brand, but if it’s anything like Benjamin Moore’s other brands you are likely to be satisfied. Consumer Reports rated Aura particularly highly in flat and eggshell finishes, but not in semigloss. Great for a cozy living room, not so great for the bathroom.
2) Olympic Premium (Green Seal): This no-VOC brand, available at Lowe’s, earned CR’s “best buy” recommendation for flat and semi-gloss finishes. It was an average performer for eggshell among all paint brands tested.
3) Sherwin-Williams Harmony (GreenGuard): This no-VOC brand was judged by CR to be middle of the pack among its peers. It performed best in flat and semi-gloss finishes, but not well in eggshell.
Try one of these brands and you may notice an immediate difference, since those intoxicating fumes should no longer be present during and after your paint job. You can also rest easier knowing that your family will not be subjected to continuing VOC emissions over the years.
By the way, please don’t forget to properly recycle any unused paint!
UPDATE: see also, Review: Benjamin Moore Aura Low VOC Interior Paint Brand
It’s strong enough in undiluted form to make your eyes water, but it’s as gentle as a feather on the environment. It’s Simple Green, an industrial-strength all-purpose cleaner that has managed to snag the Green Seal certification, a coveted “green stamp” for health, safety, and environmental impact considered highly meaningful by Consumer Reports.
There are gentler cleaners in the marketplace, but few can boast of a widely-respected certification as a green cleaning product. It is non-toxic, fully biodegradable, and contains no bleach.
I have used Simple Green many times. It comes in concentrated form (which is why it’s so powerful on the senses), so you’re supposed to dilute it with water to make it gentler (though if you’re a glutton for punishment the concentrated form works all too well for your toughest cleaning jobs). Dilution can be up to 1 ounce per cup of water for heavy applications, and up to four cups of water for lighter ones.
A few years back I had to paint my condo. The paint previously used was a cheap brand, and it had bled an odd sticky, oily substance that was difficult to remove. The gunk had to be wiped off before I could do the new paint job. I diluted Simple Green with some water in a bucket, but left it pretty strong. I soaked a big sponge in the solution and attacked the walls. That oily stuff came right off and made the walls right for the primer and paint coatings that followed. I’ve been hooked on the product ever since.
Simple Green is totally versatile. I’ve used it to clean everything from the toughest grease to the most delicate materials. It tackles dirt, oil, pet stains, adhesives, floor wax, carpets, painted surfaces, stainless steel and literally just about everything else–making it an excellent all-purpose cleaner and eliminating the need for having many different special purpose cleaning products. Clothes come out even cleaner by adding 1/4 cup in addition to your detergent. The kitchen and bathroom sparkle as soap scum and dirty counters easily get wiped clean.
If you’re looking for something strong enough to tackle any cleaning job, that is certifiably eco friendly, and that saves you money besides (the concentrated stuff lasts much longer than regular cleaners), then you can hardly do better for a green cleaning product than Simple Green. Try it out!
(Available in the regular 24 ounce spray bottle as well as a one-gallon version that lasts a very long time if diluted.)
Update: Simple Green has a new line of products available, Simple Green Naturals, that also have Green Seal certification and work great out of the bottle without dilution. So whether you’re looking for industrial strength pure cleaning power or a more convenient solution for grime, Simple Green has something eco friendly for you!
