Trying to go green and not sure how to protect yourself from the "greenwashers"? Not sure if a company is being upfront.
Read on fellow greenie read on! Here is a list of resources to help you weed through all the enviro-mental claims.
1. The Business & Human Rights Centre is a one stop shop index of just about everything on the Internet that relates to the effects of companies upon human rights. Environmental damage is a biggie. You can read articles and stories that are published by newspapers, NGOs and more. It's free and it's worth a perusal.
2. Responsible Shopper. This site is run in conjunction with Co-Op America. This useful site provides information on companies that is both positive and not so positive. It's not as in depth as the one above, but its also worth a visit.
3. If you are looking for "dirt" on a given company, check you CorpWatch. They don't pull any punches! Under research tools, click on "Hands-On Corporate Research Guide." This handy little guide will tell you everything from corporate structure to environmental offences and even military contracts.
4. Eco labels are probably one of the MOST confusing elements of green shopping. Don't fret, www.eco-labels.org is here to help.
Finally, probably the BEST source out there regarding "greenwashing" is TerraChoice. In 2009, TerraChoice released the study, "The Seven Sins of Greenwashing" to present new and significant trends that have emerged. This year's research includes even more 'big box stores' in both Canada and the U.S, and more products studied. The second edition of the study also gives a closer examination to product categories of special interest to consumers -- toys/baby products, cosmetics and cleaning products. This site is worth a few minutes of your time.