Symbols Point Way Toward Green Living

If “green” and “eco-friendly” are just vague terms, how can consumers know that what they are buying is the best choice, environmentally speaking?

One way is to look for products that display a seal or certification attesting to its green qualities, from energy efficiency to organic food content. Here are some logos to look for:

• Energy Star: A joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Star sets specifications in more than 50 product categories, including appliances, electronics and lighting. New houses also can earn the designation. Products that have earned the Energy Star designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency standards while performing as well or better than similar products.




• Design for the Environment: Another EPA program, DfE works in partnership with industries that have the potential to prevent pollution by reducing chemical risk and improving energy efficiency. The DfE logo on a product means a scientific review team has screened each ingredient for potential human health and environmental effects and determined that the product contains only those ingredients that pose the least concern among chemicals in their class.

• WaterSense: The WaterSense label is an EPA designation of water efficiency and performance for plumbing fixtures and landscape irrigation systems. A product must undergo independent testing to prove it meets EPA specifications before earning the certification.

• USDA Organic: The U.S. Department of Agriculture set standards for labeling food as organic in 2002. Foods labeled “100 percent organic” must contain only organically produced ingredients. Products labeled “organic” must consist of at least 95 percent organically produced ingredients. Products that meet either of those thresholds may display the USDA Organic seal.

• EcoLogo: Launched by the Canadian government 20 years ago, EcoLogo provides private-sector, third-party validation of green claims. The program compares products and services with others in the same category, develops scientific criteria and awards the EcoLogo to products that are environmentally preferable throughout their lives. EcoLogo has certified about 7,000 products in 120 categories, from consumer cleaning products to automotive engine coolants.

• Green Seal: This nonprofit organization provides science-based environmental certification standards in more than 40 product categories, including paint and windows. Green Seal uses a life-cycle approach, evaluating a product or service from material extraction through manufacturing and use, all the way to recycling and disposal.
These certification programs are voluntary. A company that displays the certification seal has taken an extra step to assure consumers the product’s claims are valid.
The certifications can be a powerful marketing tool, too, as consumers look for products that bear a seal of environmental approval. “We want to provide families with information at the store shelf to help them quickly choose products that respect the earth,” said Kelly Semrau, vice president of Global Public Affairs and Communication for SC Johnson, based in Racine, Wis. Several SC Johnson cleaning products, such as Scrubbing Bubbles, have earned the Design for the Environment seal.
“We believe that taking part in the DfE program to ensure earth-responsible products and then helping people easily identify those products (by displaying the DfE logo) is the right thing to do for the environment for future generations.”