6 Green Terms-The Truth About All The Green Terms!
Are you trying to eat healthy and not sure what all those Green labels mean? According to Michigan Realtor magazine (Volume 13, Number 3), The Federal Trade Commission will be making it more difficult for companies to make unsubstantiated “Green” claims about their products. The FTC has hopes that this will be take effect this summer. For now, below is a cheat sheet about all those green terms you find on labels.
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1. Organic – This term really means something. The one term on this list that is regulated by the U.S Department of Agriculture. Makers of Organic products have to prove that their products are “produced without antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, irradiation or bioengineering.”
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The FTC is tightening up on companies who claim the following terms:
2. Recyclable- Look for “Post-Consumer Recycled” content. Products with this label have been diverted from the landfill, so you are really helping reduce the waste system when you purchase them.
3. Biodegradable-The FTC’s new guidelines will require products that are labeled “degradable” be able to break down within a year in normal disposal conditions. Now, some products that are labeled as “biodegradable” cannot break down unless in ideal conditions, and some not even then.
4. Compostable-Going forward, the FTC will require that products with this label not take any longer to break down than what is in your normal compostable pile.
5. Non Toxic- The new guidelines state that a product with this label should mean that the product is not harmful to humans or the environment.
The most unclear green term of all:
6. Natural- Not regulated by the government. It is not interchangeable with organic or healthy.
When you are looking at labels, look for a reputable company that can help you decide, such as Scientific Certification Systems. They are a third party company that gives reassurance to consumers that a product lives up to its label. Their green and blue symbol has been around for a long time and sets tough standards for products to live up to.