| Posted on February 25, 2010 at 9:10 AM |
Become well-versed on "green" buzzwords and make better buying decisions.
It's apparent that many people selling green or eco-friendly home building materials and products have no clue as to what constitutes GREEN, eco-friendly, organic, and sustainability. Here are definitions of some of the big buzzwords in the green movement, all to help you make better buying decisions when you face your next home building, remodeling, or design project.
ORGANIC: of or relating to foodstuff grown or raised without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides or hormones; e.g., organic eggs, organic vegetables, and organic chicken. The term is also used to describe something simple and healthful and close to nature, as in an organic lifestyle. You'll find organic fibers used in furniture and fabrics, like organic silk.
CRUELTY FREE: a product that doesn’t contain any part of an animal, eliminating material obtained from an animal by means of cruelty and/or anything made with child labor or in a sweatshop anywhere in the world.
Examples include food obtained from animals raised or kept on factory farms, or any products tested on animals or made in a Third World sweatshop.
SUSTAINABLE: a product capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment. This is key in all aspects of the life cycle of any product.
Examples include anything (building materials, furniture, fabrics, upholstery, linens, etc.) made from bamboo, cork, soy, or organic cotton. The Cork Family tables by Jasper Morrison pictured here are great examples of sustainable furniture, as the cork bark stripped from trees will grow back.
FAIR TRADE: certified company and/or product the incorporates policies and standards that include a fair living wage for all factory employees, ample breaks, no obligation to work overtime without compensation, and a safe work environment with emergency protocols in place.
Examples include factories in many Third World countries.
GREEN WASHING: this is the dissemination of misleading information by an organization to conceal its abuse of the environment in order to present a positive public image. Green washing is running rampant now as everyone is trying to jump on the green and environmentally-friendly product bandwagon. Do your homework, don't be fooled, and buy green for your home.
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