“All Natural”
“Toxin-Free”
“Local”
“Pet Friendly”

What do eco-labels really mean, and are they the better choice for green consumers?

When done well, and honestly, green claims of fewer chemicals, less packaging, recycled content, fair wages or locally produced can provide genuine benefits that the buyer wants.

But when it’s not, it’s called “greenwashing”–painting a product or service with a feel-good green benefit that’s not true.

At its worst, greenwashing is deceptive and misleading, and might be illegal.  The U.S. Small Business Administration offers tips for honest and legal greeen marketing regulations.

Even when it’s not outright deceptive, greenwashing tries to trick customers into thinking a product is something it’s not.

Here’s one that isn’t harmful but truly misses the point in my book.

For a fee, you can claim that your website is carbon neutral (the money goes to purchase cabon-offset credits) and post a “Green Certified Site” logo on your site.

Does it really matter if your website is carbon neutral? No. It doesn’t.

Sensing an unmet need created by all these labeling claims, eco-label and green certifications companies have sprung up to theoretically offer consumers objective, trustworthy recommendations. Some are better than others. Here’s a place to start. Learn more.

Small choices do matter, and they add up, but make sure your money is going to what really matters to you.

As with all purchases, caveat emptor.

Two half marathons this year and one to go, I run in Brooks sneakers. Brooks Adrenaline. Fourth pair. Running happy.

But I might be changing my mind about what kicks I buy. An NPR radio story yesterday caught my ear about how emerging trade deals with Pacific Rim nations might affect U.S.-based manufacturing jobs.

Did you know that New Balance manufactures many of its shoes in Skowhegan, Maine? I didn’t.

While my beloved Brooks come out of a clearly conscientious concern for the environment and fair trade practices, they are stitched a half world away. 

It got me thinking about our buying choices and the ripple impact they can have our global economy.

I’ve test-run New Balance shoes and know that they are a good fit for me.  So maybe in a few hundred miles I’ll give a pair of them a try.

No matter what, I’ll be buying my next pair, and the ones after that, at the locally owned athletics store that is exactly 3.2 miles from my front door.

Whatever shoes you choose, run happy.

(For the  kicks in your life that have lost their bounce, you can send them on to a new life: Soles4Souls has drop-off locations near you.)

Many thanks to New Jersey-based Community Green, an all-volunteer eco-coalition, for a comprehensive list of green businesses, resources, media outlets and retailers.

Community Green Links

Join the Community Green Meetup Group

Today, as much as half of the price of solar energy is made up of non-hardware costs.  (U.S. Energy Department) These soft costs include getting financing, hiring contractors, securing permits, connecting with utilities and passing inspections. Every trip to the bank, every delay, every snag in the paperwork contributes to the project’s final cost.

To jump start a decline in these non-hardware costs, the Energy Department’s SunShot Initiative announced today that it is investing approximately $7 million over 18 months in a new SunShot Incubator Program for Soft Cost Reduction.

Have you encountered hitches, hold-ups and hindrances on the solar path for your home or business? Or even better, what are your recommendations for a smooth, cost-efficient process?