Tangled up in green
"Green isn't always what it seems. Like low-fat cookies and light beer, eco-friendly products have trade-offs, which can get
lost in the big green- marketing frenzy."
Photography by Aimee Herring
Like most pleasures in life, shopping can make you feel a bit guilty sometimes (if not, skip straight to our shoe-buying guide).
One way to feel better about your spending habits is to buy more products that seem to be environmentally responsible. It’s
easy enough, with everything from cars to toilet paper being marketed as eco-friendly. Besides, “green” products can do more
than help save the planet. Some may be healthier (low-VOC paints, less-toxic cleaners, and organic foods), and others can
save you money (compact fluorescent lightbulbs and energy-efficient appliances).
But green isn’t always what it seems. Like low-fat cookies and light beer, eco-friendly products have trade-offs, which can get lost in the big green-marketing frenzy going on right now. The truth is, those funny-looking lightbulbs may cut the load on air-polluting power plants, but they contain mercury and may not work for every room in your house. Bamboo towels are made from a sustainable crop, but they may be processed with toxic chemicals. Even that icon of all things green, the Toyota Prius, may fall short of expectations, at least in terms of money savings.
The point is, if you’re going to buy green products, you should know the real deal. (A good source of advice, by the way, is GreenerChoices.org, sponsored by Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of this magazine.) And yes, although I work for a shopping magazine, even I have to admit that, sadly, we can’t shop our way to a better world. The most Earth-friendly thing we can do is use less (for example, take your own reusable bags to the supermarket) or buy used (think antiques!). And when you have to buy new, our guide starting on page 20 can help you sort through all the green hype so you can feel good that you’ve made the best choices for your family and for the planet, too!
Lisa Lee Freeman
Editor-in-Chief
P.S. As the logo says, please recycle this magazine and help save trees and reduce landfill waste! Also, go to www.ShopSmartmag.org/letters to e-mail me if you have any comments or questions. I’d love to hear from you!
But green isn’t always what it seems. Like low-fat cookies and light beer, eco-friendly products have trade-offs, which can get lost in the big green-marketing frenzy going on right now. The truth is, those funny-looking lightbulbs may cut the load on air-polluting power plants, but they contain mercury and may not work for every room in your house. Bamboo towels are made from a sustainable crop, but they may be processed with toxic chemicals. Even that icon of all things green, the Toyota Prius, may fall short of expectations, at least in terms of money savings.
The point is, if you’re going to buy green products, you should know the real deal. (A good source of advice, by the way, is GreenerChoices.org, sponsored by Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of this magazine.) And yes, although I work for a shopping magazine, even I have to admit that, sadly, we can’t shop our way to a better world. The most Earth-friendly thing we can do is use less (for example, take your own reusable bags to the supermarket) or buy used (think antiques!). And when you have to buy new, our guide starting on page 20 can help you sort through all the green hype so you can feel good that you’ve made the best choices for your family and for the planet, too!
Lisa Lee Freeman
Editor-in-Chief
P.S. As the logo says, please recycle this magazine and help save trees and reduce landfill waste! Also, go to www.ShopSmartmag.org/letters to e-mail me if you have any comments or questions. I’d love to hear from you!
| Click any of the links below for a selection of articles from the October/November 2007 issue of ShopSmart;) 3 online shopping trends you'll love New ways to save time and find the absolute greatest deals In the bag Paper or plastic? Choose neither! Tote your own cloth bag. 9 tips for finding a great-fitting shoe Follow these steps so you can treat your feet to a supercomfortable pair Design a laundry room that works Make a tiresome chore unboring with our decorating tricks Facial cleanser shopping tips Pick the right cleanser for your skin type Candy calorie countdown How much damage are you really doing with these Halloween treats? Can't find ShopSmart in your local bookstore? Order it online or call our toll-free number to get your copy now. |
