Is green really green

Posted Monday, November 12, 2007

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ShopSmart Magazine Separates the Authentic Green Products from the Wannabes

Yonkers, NY — About a fifth of your personal contribution to global warming comes from your home but not all so-called green home goods are worth the money, or are even particularly green. In the October/November issue of ShopSmart magazine, the preeminent shopping magazine from the publishers of Consumer Reports, pros weigh in on eco-friendly items to see what is worth buying, what to skip and how to save money.

“The most Earth-friendly thing we can do is use less or buy used but if you are going to buy green products, you should know the real deal,” said Lisa Lee Freeman, Editor-in-Chief, ShopSmart. “ShopSmart helps sort through all the green hype so you can feel good that you’ve made the best choices for your family and for the planet.”

ShopSmart provides eco-friendly and ‘eco’nomical tips for your home:

• Wood Furniture and Cabinets: Avoid tropical or exotic hardwoods, especially zebrawood and ebony. Instead, look for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified or reclaimed woods like teak, mahogany, ipe, or rubberwood. For an even greener option, shop flea markets or Craig’s List for secondhand bargains.
• Flooring: Bamboo (a fast-growing grass), cork (made from tree bark), and linoleum (made from linseed oil and wood or cork products) are all considered eco-responsible alternatives to petroleum-based vinyl flooring and slow-growing hardwoods like oak. But, while cork or bamboo flooring are greener options, ShopSmart tests showed that they may not ear or keep their colors well. For a natural, resilient and least-pricy green flooring option, choose sunlight- and dent-resistant linoleum, which starts around $4 per square foot.
• Paint: The GreenSeal sticker, issued by an independent group that sets standards for eco-conscious goods, can help you identify low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints. Be aware that low-VOC paints are premium-priced and testing has found that they are not as durable as the top-rated regular paints. However the technology is getting better as the demand increases.
• Carpet: Most carpet is made from petroleum-based materials like nylon. Eco-friendlier carpets include those made with natural fibers or recycled synthetic materials. Should you use natural fiber rugs, avoid placing them in entry ways and other high traffic areas where dirt and moisture can make them susceptible to deterioration.
• Household Cleaning Products: Skip aerosol-spray products in cans, oven cleaners, and drain cleaners. Watch out for ingredient lists that include chlorine bleach, ammonia, NPEs, phosphates and antibacterials. For a truly green cleaner, only buy products with listed ingredients on the packaging. Manufacturers are not required to list ingredients on product labels so some market their cleaners as green without disclosing what is in them. Look for plant or “bio-based” ingredients, hydrogen peroxide, concentrated formulas, multipurpose products, and recyclable packaging.

ShopSmart offers additional tips on how to save green by going green:

• Go back to basics. The greenest cleaners are probably on your pantry shelf right now. Hydrogen peroxide mildly bleaches and sanitizes while cream of tartar lifts stains from sinks and tubs, and removes spots from aluminum pans.
• Take advantage of daylight. Hanging light-colored, translucent curtains at your windows will let in more natural light and cut down on your lighting cost.
• Replace five heavily used regular lightbulbs with compact fluorescents. You’ll save enough energy to cut about $25 off your yearly utility bill.
• Put your appliances on an energy diet. To cut-back on your utility bill, wash only full loads of laundry, wash laundry in cold water, don’t pre-rinse dishes, and load the dishwasher efficiently.
• Take care of your refrigerator. If you clean the coils regularly with an appliance brush, the motor won’t have to run as long or as often, saving energy.

About ShopSmart magazine:
Launched in Fall 2006 by Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, ShopSmart draws upon Consumer Reports’ celebrated tradition of accepting no advertisements and providing unbiased product reviews. The magazine features product reviews, shopping tips on how to get the most out of products and “best of the best” lists. ShopSmart is ideal for busy shoppers who place a premium on time. ShopSmart has a newsstand price of $5.99 and is available nationwide at major retailers including Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart, Borders, Kroger, Safeway and Publix.