What Makes an Eco-Friendly Product?

What Makes an Eco-Friendly Product?

There are many products out there; from cars to light bulbs, which claim to be green, environmentally friendly or less harmful to the environment. But because there are no hard and fast rules about what makes a product environmentally friendly or not, it can be very difficult to distinguish between something that claims to be green and something that is actually.

However, there are good rules about them and the four aspects that make up the most environmentally friendly products and examining them can give you an idea of whether the products you see are environmentally friendly or not.

What is the alternative

Many goods claim to be environmentally friendly because it uses less energy than alternatives, but this is what makes things more environmentally friendly. Cars that use environmentally friendly fuel systems may be more environmentally friendly than gasoline models but not if you can walk easily to most of your destinations. So the first thing to ask when looking for environmentally friendly products is – do I need them?

Energy Saving

Energy efficiency is a key aspect of environmentally friendly products. Global warming and climate change are related to the CO2 emitted from our energy use. Reducing the power we consume will benefit the environment so that any product that uses less energy than similar products (and you need them) is greener.

Energy-saving light bulbs, for example, produce the same effect as ordinary lighting but use a third less power.

Sustainability and toxic materials

Another aspect of the green credentials of the goods we buy is what they are made of. If something does not come from a sustainable source or contains harsh chemicals or toxic metals

Recycle

Environmentally friendly products must also be made from materials that can be recycled or can be recycled by themselves (or parts of them). Products that do not degrade can linger in the environment for decades so anything that can avoid adding to the waste build-up certainly qualifies for green credentials.