Green Products: How Do You Know?

So you are interested in going green. A lot of products claim that they are good for the environment, but how do you know for sure? At Raw Food Nation we are not only about real food, but also real living. With that in mind, we make it a point to live green and take care of mother earth. As you are transitioning into a more eco-friendly lifestyle, here are some questions to ask about a product or its manufacturer (we will provide the resource for these questions at the end of the article):

• Is the product produced locally to minimize energy used for transport?
• Was the product produced using organic growing methods, and is it in season? (See our article on the Eat Seasonably campaign)
• Was it raised humanely and without supplemental drugs or artificial additives?
• Does it come from readily renewable resources?
• Does it utilized recycled or reclaimed materials?
• Is it made without toxic ingredients, thereby reducing the production and release of toxic/hazardous emissions?
• Does the manufacturing plant utilize energy saving systems and procedures for production operations?
• Is the item packaged minimally or in recycled content packaging?
• Is it of good design quality, made to last a long time?
• Can it be recycled or remanufactured at the end of its life cycle?

Seems like a lot of research just to be green, right? Actually, with the growing rate of awareness, it’s a lot easier than you think. Many companies are proud to be developing and manufacturing green products, so much that several of  the answers to these questions will be listed on their website in detail. They want you to know the extent of what they are doing to reduce their carbon footprint on our planet.

Even if a little searching around is required, mother earth will thank you, and you will feel darn good to know that you are a part of the solution, not the problem. Remember, part of being a raw food enthusiast is to be green inside and out.

Resources:

It’s Easy Being Green: A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living by Crissy Trask

By admin Tags: eat seasonably, environment, green
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