Going green is more than just a fad.
It is becoming a way of life for many, and they are taking steps to reduce consumption of energy, conserve fresh water, and recycle paper, plastic and glass items.
The focus on green living has not gone unnoticed by companies, both large and small.
Business of all types are looking for ways to promote their products and services as "green" and" environmentally friendly.
" Some of these designations have substance behind them.
For example, appliances and products such as light bulbs that earn the EnergyStar designation have met standards of energy efficiency validated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Replacing an older refrigerator, freezer, or washer with a newer EnergyStar rated one is a smart move, saving you significant electricity over the useful life of the appliance.
Other green product claims are less reliable and their value is more difficult to assess.
Some of these green claims may in fact of questionable validity.
How does one assess a cleaning product with the "green" or "nature-friendly" designation? Many of these products simply have green packaging.
What about food products that are claimed to be natural? Flavors are a good example of how consumers can be misled by claims of naturalness.
Take a fruit juice labeled as "grape juice" which contains grape juice, natural grape flavor, and other natural flavors.
What exactly are those other natural flavors, and what are the other content? Such a product can contain apple juice, other fruit extracts, and sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup.
All these things are "natural" but they are not grape juice.
These ingredients in this grape juice product are not even all derived from grapes.
What ca you do as a consumer to protect yourself form being duped or greenwashed? Here are a few suggestions.
First, learn which labels you can trust.
Those green claims that are not on a short list of trusted green sources should be viewed with a degree of caution.
Simple claims of eco-friendly or natural do not mean much without some further validation.
For food products, the designation of "USDA Organic" sets a standard that means chemicals fertilizers have not been used.
It also costs farmers more to achieve it, so you may not find many foods labeled USDA Organic to be bargains, but you will have an additional level of comfort that the label means what it claims.
If you are concerned about how animals have been treated in their use for the production of food, the label "Certified Humane" is one to look for.
A third label you can trust is "Fairtrade" which ensures that the growers or producers are paid a fair wage or price for their products.
Don't be greenwashed.
Learn which eco-friendly label can be trusted.