It’s All Greek To Me

A Bit From The Green Glossary For Everyday People:

Eco-footprint – Measures how much land and water area a human requires to produce the resources he consumes and to absorb his wastes. It compares human demand with planet Earth’s ecological capacity to regenerate. Estimating how much of the Earth (or how many planet Earths) it would take to support humanity if everybody lived a given lifestyle. Example: For 2005, humanity’s total ecological footprint was estimated at 1.3 planet Earths – in other words, humanity uses ecological services 1.3 times as fast as Earth can renew them. If you want to calculate your own eco-footprint, try this site … (more…)

Please give a warm welcome to our guest writer, Caroline Smith!   She is a writer, environmentalist and interior design enthusiast.    Please enjoy her article!

Eco Friendly Furniture – Green Bar Stools Anyone?

By Caroline Smith of www.GetBarStools.com

Green living is all very well when it comes to everyday activities. We all know we should turn off the tap when brushing our teeth, put our groceries in reusable bags and recycle everything we can. Earth friendly cleaning products, organic food and non-toxic toiletries are becoming commonplace in stores. But when it comes to one-off big purchases, such as furniture, it can be difficult to know where to look for green options.

When making any eco friendly purchase, there are always several factors to think about. What is a product made of? Where do the raw materials come from? What is the manufacturer’s attitude to sustainability? (more…)

Just about any company can label their products “green”, but that doesn’t necessarily
mean they’re healthier or more environmentally friendly than others on the market. The
Greenguard Environmental Institute (GEI) set out to change that by implementing an
indoor air certification program. It certifies products that meet the GEI standards
for low chemical and particle emissions.

To obtain certification, products such as insulation, adhesives, flooring, and paint
are tested under conditions that simulate normal use. Researchers measure emissions
of formaldehyde and other VOCs. If a product meets the strict criteria, the
manufacturer may use the Greenguard mark on that product’s packaging. The product
is then tested regularly to ensure that it still meets the certification criteria.

Since children are especially vulnerable to toxins, there’s also a classification
called “GREENGUARD Children and Schools” to insure that products are safe for places
where children are more likely to be.

To search for certified products, visit the online product guide at:

http://www.greenguard.org