By Roland Oehme
Before you saddle up and head to the
mall for your holiday shopping, let Sierra Club Green Home give you the
lowdown on how your purchases can help or harm your health and the
planet’s.
What’s the harm in heading to the local
superstore? Well, that lower price tag is often hiding the costs to the
environment and to human health, especially for products made abroad.
Most of the items for sale at chain stores contain toxins, are created
using polluting and unsustainable practices, use up fuel being shipped
far distances, and are made by workers who are paid low wages and work
in poor conditions. Even animals are often harmed in conventional
manufacturing. Many corporations still test their products on animals
and use unnecessary animal ingredients.
This season, we have a choice as to
where and how we spend our money, and it is a very important one. That’s
why Sierra Club Green Home is showing you how to find products you can
feel good about buying, whether you’re shopping in your town or on the
Web.
Not sure if your corner store has goods
that are truly green? One way to tell is by looking for green labels
certified by a credible third party (i.e., not the company that made the
item). Examples of trustworthy labels include Green Seal, Green America Business Seal of Approval, Transfair USA (fair trade), USDA Organic, Forest Stewardship Council, and Rainforest Alliance Certified. You can check out more green labels online. ...
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