Ideal Bite

Banner Power, a local company, sells a household power backup system. According to their ads, this is a "green" energy system. From their description of its operation, it supplies power to the house when the power grid is down via batteries and other electronics, then recharges the batteries when the power grid comes back up. So where is the "green" in that? The battery recharge just uses more of the utility power (and, therefore, more energy resources to do so), plus it uses a little more energy to run the electronics that maintain the system. So, install this backup power system, and use more power to do so. To me, that's an awfully funny shade of "green". -A

today's tip is so important! I loathe seeing the "natural"/ pretending to be eco-friendly products advertised, just because something has aloe vera in it or has a "aromatherapy scent" does not make it safe for you and/or Green! I use coop america all the time as well as read every label, and research a company before investing in their products.

So, where are those Organic Style "green" roses you're advertising grown? And how are they shipped ("shipped anywhere!") from there to the consumer? Depending on the answers, these may be ideal candidates for a greenwashing award.

Please tell us MORE about greenwashing. How do we know what's greenwashing and what's the real deal? Give examples! ...To partly answer my own question, I recently ran across The Better World Shopping Guide by Ellis Jones, published by New Society Publishers. It's a purse- or pocket-sized gem of a book that rates companies A-F by their records in the areas of the environment, human rights, community involvement, corporate crime, animal rights, employee treatment, and philanthropy. They have a website, too: betterworldshopper.org. I'm reading it cover to cover, and you'd better believe I'll follow their guidelines when I shop. Money talks!

Has anyone used www.greenerchoices.org? It's sort of the green consumer reports. Haven't actually used it, so don't know if it's legit or not, but so far as I know consumer reports is trustworthy so maybe this is as well... As per their website: GreenerChoices.org, launched on Earth Day 2005 by Consumers Union, the non-profit publisher of Consumer Reports, is a Web-based initiative to inform, engage, and empower consumers about environmentally-friendly products and practices. GreenerChoices.org offers an accessible, reliable, and practical source of information on buying “greener” products that have minimal environmental impact and meet personal needs.

What is Ideal Bite's take on Clorox Green Works products? I've purchased them and I like them - they are not 100% natural and I don't know that the 1% of unnatural product is in these cleaners. I've searched the net - the only negative blog I could find was from "The Stevens Family" who claim Clorox is greenwashing (and he also appears to be a die-hard greenie himself by his choice of words). At the same time there was a list to his family's favorite cleaning products at the end of his blog, which directed me to a link where HE sells a green product package that includes individual wipes and dryer sheets. HELLO! In my mind he is bit of a greenwasher himself...I am unsure of what to trust. I realize that Clorox in all other cleaning product scenarios is essentially the root of all evil with regards to toxins, non-biodegradeable, etc...but I really like the Green Works product. I am just wondering if it truly is a better way to keep my house clean compared to other traditional products on the shelf. Any thoughts?

images are too great. looks like abited hardy ed hardy clothing ralph lauren polo juicy couture artificial. but true that for sure.