Is this Purchase really Green?
A lot of us whom would like to be more green, don’t know if what we are actually buying is green. So how do you know what you like to buy on a regular basis actually meets the green code for actually purchasing green? Here are some tips to help you make sure you are buying in a greener way.
1. Where did it come from: If it came from a natural source and can be again recycled to be made into something else, it then is green. Read the label to make sure. If the label doesn’t state whether it is green or not you can call the company or just don’t buy it if you don’t buy it.
2. Was there any byproducts: Byproducts are what is left over after a product has been made. Make sure the manufacturing process produces low pollution and that the materials it is made from isn’t made by destroying something else in the process.
3. Where does the material come from: Make sure what you are buying didn’t travel many miles to get to where you could purchase it. And also make sure that installation of the product doesn’t eat into the environment either.
4. How much will it take to maintain the item: Make sure the material is made durable. Particle board and chip board are not made durable and they contain ammonia and other toxins, so items such as this are not green at all. If an item needs batteries or other energy uses, it really isn’t all that green as well.
5. Is the material hazardous: A vinyl shower curtain gives off toxic chemicals, so a vinyl shower curtain isn’t green AT ALL. So make sure the material doesn’t give off harmful chemicals or outgases. Do you have to wear protection when you install it? Can it have potential allergens and carcinogens? If so, then it isn’t green.
*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: If you purchase something and are done with it, make sure it can be disassembled easily, recycled or bridgeable and/ or can be reused. If it’s just throwaway consider your purchase before bringing it home.
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