shopping

In their eagerness to cash in on consumer demand for eco-friendly products and services, many companies are calling their goods "green" despite their decidedly un-environmental qualities. When you shop, these 5 steps can help you distinguish what's green from what's being greenwashed.

1. Read the label

Look for meaningful claims, not words like "natural" or "planet friendly" that aren't backed up by standards or third-party verification (see below). When it comes to cleansers and other household goods, avoid products labeled "caution," "warning," "danger," and "poison," all of which indicate the item is hazardous to you and the environment. Ignore products that are inherently contradictory, like "organic cigarettes," or "most energy-efficient Hummer." Leave goods boasting irrelevant claims - like something is "CFC-free," (true, but misleading, since CFCs have been banned since the 1980s).

2. Look for third-party verification

In the absence of universal sustainable standards, if a company says its product is good for the earth, your first question should be, "Who else says so?"

Reliable eco claims are backed up by an independent institution or nonprofit organization that has investigated the manufacturer's claim so you don't have to.

Look for labels from groups like Forest Stewardship Council, Energy Star and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Organic.

3. Choose fewer ingredients ...

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I love surprises, so using some kind of wrapping adds to the fun of giving the present. Otherwise, why not just throw the gift at the giftee and say, "Hope you like it!"

What I hate is seeing so much beautiful paper just being ripped up and tossed aside. Honestly, these days, it's a little embarrassing to put bags full of ripped up paper out on the curb for trash pick-up. And I just can't get beyond the fact that making paper is one of the most polluting industries on earth. The less I use, the better.

Hence, my list of green wrapping paper alternatives:

1. Reusable cloth bags - $7.95 - $8.50
   Envirosax bags are really beautiful and can be used all year long. Bring It in a Bag bags also make wonderful holiday wraps.

2. Reusable shopping bag - $.99
   Available at almost any grocery store.

3. Holiday gift bags - free
   I reuse the bags from gifts people have given me.

4. Reused gift wrap - free
   I "capture" it as it’s coming off the present, fold it up, and put it in a box so I can easily find and reuse it next year. ...

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Even though a "green Christmas" means you're cutting way back on gift-giving this year, you may still want to give friends and family members some token of your love and appreciation. Consider these earth-friendly options that won't break your bank. They'll help simplify your holidays, too.

1. Your time!

• Give friends or family with small children at home a gift certificate for three hours of free babysitting they can redeem any time.

• For friends who like to garden, offer to help them weed in the spring.

• If you have particular electronics expertise, donate a few hours of training or support.

• Offer to make supper on a school night when parents can get frazzled and kids cranky if dinner’s not ready on time.

2. Pictures and memories

...

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I honestly believe people should spend less money during the holidays and focus more on creating lifetime memories. But when you do shop, wouldn't it be great if you got something more for your money than the material item itself? What if you could donate a percentage of every online purchase you make to your favorite nonprofit, school, or association – at no additional cost to you?

1. We-Care.com

We-Care.com lets you do just that. Its "click through" website gives you access to more than 600 online merchants you can shop as you normally would. But when you buy, a percentage of the purchase price is automatically donated to the charity you choose. Merchants include retail, travel, financial services, and more. Book your flight and hotel. Rent a car. Shop for books. Buy furniture and household items. Subscribe to magazines, newspapers, DVD services, and even satellite TV. The sky is (almost) the limit. Participation costs nothing for organizations; there's no extra charge to you, either. Many merchants also offer special money-saving deals and coupons.

There are over 325 charities to choose from, including public health, animal welfare, women's advocacy, k-12 education programs, peace and justice, arts, culture and more. In the environment category, you can contribute to such organizations as Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Environmental Working Group, and the Center for a New American Dream. If you don't see the cause you support, it's easy to add it to the database. You can also contact your cause and encourage them to join We-Care.com. ...

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Here are the top ten tips for a “green” Halloween. They’ll save you money, too!

1. Reuse costumes

Tap into the treasures hidden in your closet or attic to pull together a fun, no-cost costume (it won’t take any longer than going to the mall, and will be a lot cheaper). Trade costumes with friends and family if you don’t want to wear last year’s get-up. Shop for accessories at yard sales or resale stores. Use your imagination but don’t obsess. The point is to have fun, not be fashionable!

2. Trick and treat

In lieu of junk food, hand out pencils made from recycled paper, erasers, nickels or dimes – be creative!. My husband used to live in the same neighborhood as baseball legend Casey Stengel – he gave out silver dollars. My neighbor started doling out small cups of apple cider when she realized how much kids love a drink of something when they’re running around like banshees. NatureMoms offers lots of great links to organic lollipops and other fun and healthy treats.

3. Reverse trick and treating

Global Exchange is encouraging kids to help educate adults about Fair Trade cocoa by handing Fair Trade chocolates back as they trick or treat. The chocolates are attached to a card explaining why Fair Trade offers an alternative to child labor, low wages for farmers and a healthier environment. Order by October 13. ...

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When my computer's hard drive crashed this week, every techie I talked to said it was too fried to be rebuilt. So I did some quick research and headed over to Best Buy for a replacement.

In case you haven't been there recently, there are MOUNTAINS of computers to choose from. The salesman was going on and on about this model and that when I stopped him short. "What do you have in "green"?" I asked.

For a minute, he looked flummoxed. Then he got a big smile on his face and practically pranced over to the new Dell hybrid.

"Take a look at this," he said. "It's one third the size of a normal hard drive, uses significantly less energy, reduces packaging and the whole thing is made out of recycled plastic."

I bought it on the spot. It seems like he never would have mentioned it if I hadn't asked for it in "green." Great lesson for future shopping.

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As Halloween unofficially kicks off the holiday buying season, Big Green Purse is encouraging consumers to ask "Can I get it in 'green'?" no matter what they're looking for when they shop.

The idea is to pressure the nation's 1.6 million U.S. retailers more forcefully than ever before to offer the greenest products and services available. Looking for a sweater? Ask if the store has it in "green" - i.e., made from certified organic or recycled fiber by Fair Trade workers. Buying toys? Inquire about "green" dolls, action figures, stuffed animals, and games made in the U.S. from certified sustainable materials finished with non-toxic glues and paints. Thinking about electronics? Request the "greenest" options, which you can find on the ratings pages at Greenpeace.

In all likelihood, most stores, especially those occupying the very un-green real estate characteristic of shopping and strip malls, won't have a ready supply of certified green goods on hand. But that's why consumer demand is so important.

• Given that consumer spending accounts for 70% of GDP, consumer behavior has an oversized influence on the entire economy. What you buy tells manufacturers what to make more of -- and how.

• The Christmas shopping season alone can account for as much as 40% of a retail store’s annual revenue and as much as three-quarters of its annual profit. Consistently demanding the greenest possible goods from now until the end of December -- and buying them when you find them -- is the most immediate route available to change corporate behavior.

• The National Retail Federation estimates that consumers will spend $470.4 billion during the 2008 holiday shopping season, more than $1,000 per household. ...

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What's that, you say? You want to shift your spending to greener goods but you don't have a clue what's "green" and what's being "greenwashed"?

You're not alone. Polls show that confusion is one of the top reasons why shoppers don't buy more eco-friendly products.

Certifications and standards help solve the problem in two ways. First, they set meaningful environmental goals (for saving energy, protecting air and water quality as well as public health, conserving wilderness and wildlife) that motivate manufacturers to be more ambitious in reducing their environmental footprint. Second, they inspire confidence in consumers, who value the "third party verification" of a company's eco-claims. It's one thing for a business to crow about how green it is. It's far more reassuring if someone else says so, too. ...

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If you've been hankering to use your big green purse to buy green goods but haven't been able to find the goods, Greenzer may be just what you're looking for.

The recently launched website lists over 15,000 products that have been evaluated based on specific green attributes and environmental certifications. You can browse, compare and shop from more than 65 merchant partners who, while perhaps not ecologically perfect, offer a significant improvement over the standard or conventional option.

Co-founder Jeremy Arditi says Greenzer chooses its products based on four criteria:

1. Green labels and certifications (to include products rated, labeled or certified by groups like the Environmental Protection Agency, Energy Star, the Forest Stewardship Council, Green Guard and EPEAT);

2. Green attributes (e.g., organically grown, solar-powered, post-consumer recycled, cruelty-free);

3. Green categories (focusing on product options that are inherently greener than conventional alternatives. Think rechargeable batteries, compact fluorescent light bulbs, and reusable water bottles). ...

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One thing the Marketing to Women conference definitely was not about was reducing consumption.

Virtually every presentation given during the two-day confab of manufacturers, marketers and advertising mavens focused on how to get women to buy more ... and more ... and more. Stephanie Ouyoumjian, Director of Strategy at Publicis, encouraged companies to "have a conversation" with women to build market share. "Every 1% of getting her to talk leads to additional millions in sales," she reported. Laura Keely, Director of Consumer Promotion Marketing for Kimberly-Clark, said the key was "relevance." Women will buy more products if they feel they're relevant emotionally, psychologically, and practically. Gigi Carroll, Senior Vice President of advertising agency Draft FCB, reported on the "millenial" woman - the one younger than 30 for whom having abundant choice is a critical marketplace motivator.

My perspective was substantially different. I took the stage with three basic recommendations I urged marketers and manufacturers to seriously consider. ...

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