Environmental labels. An advertising trick by some?
Have you noticed the number of businesses out there that use “eco” labeling and words such as “Green”, “Eco- Friendly”, “Organic” or “Environmental” in their advertising?
If you’re like me, you translate this to mean they are committed to saving the environment, recycling or reducing their footprint etc.
I’ve recently come across several businesses using these terms in social media platforms and decided to check them out. I found myself asking such questions as:
Are their values clearly displayed or do they even exist?
How are their products made or manufactured?
Are they made locally or off shore?
Are they made by hand or mass produced?
Do they hold themselves accountable in any way for the impact on the environment?
As I started looking and digging, I asked more and more questions.
What I found hidden behind these “clean” profiles surprised as well as disappointed me.
The Truth behind the ” Sell”.
Products are often marketed and sold in one country but made in another. Now, that’s OK financially due to lower costs and wages, but is the manufacturer / producer as ” Green” or ” Eco Friendly” as they profess to be?
I noticed a ” Please recycle” sticker on some imported, clear plastic boxes recently, so looked to see the plastic coding stamped on them to help me work out the particular plastic they were and the recycling process required. There was no plastic code anywhere, which means the boxes can’t be recycled.
What does this tell you?
Cheaper does not equate to a produce these countries were an easy way to cheaply produce “Green” or “Eco Friendly” products without the ethical responsibility.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m far from the perfect business model for what is “Green”, “Eco – Friendly” or “Organic”.
I’m trying. I have aligned my business and personal values and begun following a life style and business ethic that is gradually moving closer and closer to an environmentally friendly way of living. I try to be honest and up front about what exactly goes into making each of my products. Each piece I sell is hand made by me. Not very viable financially, but it sits more comfortably with me morally and ethically.
Yes- I DO use a resin because it’s the only way I can make durable jewellery out of degrading plastic. If I don’t coat it in resin, the plastic will crumble or crack.
What I HAVE done, however, is to make sure the resin I use is 77% plant based, is not petroleum based and is :
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Low VOC (is odorless and contains no solvents)
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BPA free (contains no bis-phenols)
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UV stable (clear application does not yellow)
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Extremely hard (54 MPA tensile),
- Utilizes waste glycerol
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100% renewable source, organic and vegan
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Will qualify for Green Star building accreditation (GECA)
So, after all of that, what’s my message?
Before you purchase any product you believe is helping the environment or is organic and safe to use, check and double check where it’s made, what it’s made from, how it’s made and who makes it.
If you can’t find the answers, don’t buy it. That should be enough to tell you something isn’t quite as it seems.
