A guide to eco-friendly household products
When shopping for household products it is important to keep an eye out for items bearing eco-friendly stamps of approval. With so many green logos on the market these days, it can be hard to keep up with which logo means what. Don’t worry though; your friends at Keep Virginia Beautiful are here to help! In order to make your next shopping trip run smoothly, we have picked out a few of the major stamps of approval on eco-friendly household products and given you a quick description as to what each one means.
Natural Pr
oducts Association Certified – When purchasing cleaning products look for this seal of approval from the Natural Products Association. The NPA is a nonprofit made up of members from natural product suppliers. This seal means that the product is proven safe, is at least 95% natural and uses earth friendly packaging.
Green Seal Certified – Found on paper products and paints, this is a seal of approval from Green Seal, one of the first US nonprofits to develop product sustainability standards. An item bearing this logo means that the item is environmentally and socially sound all the way from development to disposal.
Cradle to Cradle Certified – This logo can be found on many home products. It is a stamp of approval from the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, which is a nonprofit organization that promotes safe environmental design. Products bearing this label were created using sustainable design and responsible practices.
Forest Stewardship Council – When purchasing paper products or furniture, keep this label in mind. This is a seal of approval from the Forest Stewardship Council which is a nonprofit that helps protect the world’s forests. This seal means that the wood used to produce the item was harvested while conserving biological diversity and ecological integrity.
Energy Star – Look for appliances and electronics that bear this logo. It is a seal of approval from the US Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency which states that this is an energy efficient product that will provide significant and consistent utility savings for your home.