There are many promotions and companies claiming green credentials but often a lot of messages are confused and finding a supplier of eco friendly products can always be challenging, especially if you are new to the green movement yourself.
But being green is about more than buying products from biodegradable materials or from companies that boast green credentials. Being environmentally and shopping environmentally is about looking at the impact we have in the things we buy and where we buy from.
Here are a few tips when looking to buy eco friendly products:
Always choose a supplier local to you. You may get a price a lot less on the internet but if the product has to be shipped from overseas think of the environmental damage you are doing in the process. Choose a retailer that they themselves buy locally and you can be sure of reducing the carbion footprint of any item you purchase.
Choose a retailer and product that is associated with recognised green associations. Its easy to boast green credentials but most eco-friendly retailers and suppliers will work hand-in-hand with green movements and charities so look for their logos, for instance, if you are buying a washing machine look for the energy star logo.
Make sure you recycle and packaging or boxes that your eco friendly product arrives in. Often, even eco-friendly products arrive with far too much packaging so make sure you have somewhere to recycle it.
Make sure you know what you want before you order. It may be handy to order several items so you can choose what you like before sending the rest back but all that unnecessary travelling adds to the carbon footprint so make sure you order the correct size to start with.
Richard N Williams is interested in green innovations and writes about them. Please visit our website if you are interested in green gifts or other eco-friendly products.
