How To Shop Green
Considering "going green"? You're probably not the only one.
Enter almost any grocery store and you're bound to find so-called green cleaning products next to traditional ones. Take Tide Cold Water detergent. Procter & Gamble claims it deep cleans clothes in cold water, cutting down on your energy use, not to mention your energy bill. Car buyers have plenty of environmentally friendly models from which to choose, and energy-efficient appliances get prominent placement on showroom floors. Even retailers are getting in on the act. Sweden-based fashion emporium H&M introduced a green line in spring 2007, offering frocks and tops made with organic cotton.
But while an ever-growing range of "green" consumer products are finding their way into our homes, there is very little in the way of industry standard. One manufacturer's green product may have been produced in an entirely different manner than another's. As a result, experts say it's good to maintain a healthy dose of skepticism when choosing environmentally friendly products, and to rely on a select group of organizations monitoring the practices of certain industries.
Do Your Homework
Dig a bit and you'll likely come across the word "greenwashing." This, according to Julia Cosgrove, deputy editor of ReadyMade, a San Francisco-based magazine that focuses on do-it-yourself, sustainable projects, entails marketing a product as environmentally conscious without enough evidence that it really is. "Much of what we're seeing now is just spin," she says. "When you look further, many of these companies are still making a big environmental footprint." Translation: Even if a retailer offers clothes made with organic cotton, chances are they are being shipped via huge, gas-sucking airplanes.
Another example is vinyl. It is used in a great deal of vegan shoes, but the production of the material can create dioxin, a known carcinogen. Clothing company Edun has experienced a case of greenwashing. Although some of its products are made of organic cotton, the company's main objective is to produce ethical (fairly traded, socially responsible) - not green - clothing. Although both concepts are positive, they certainly don't mean the same thing. Edun is an ethical clothing company, and although they take measures to protect the environment, they should not be categorized as green. How to tell one from the other? Look to several watchdog organizations for a real education.
Digging Deeper
Netherlands-based Made-By tracks a garment's environmental footprint from the first thread on, and the International Forest Stewardship Alliance certifies wood-made products by ensuring that manufacturers collecting lumber are making the best use of forest resources, reducing damage and waste, and avoiding overconsumption and overharvesting. You can find a complete listing of their findings on www.fscus.org.
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) labeling system, Design For The Environment (DfE), ensures that the chemicals in DfE-certified products--like Earth Choice's new range of household cleaners--are environmentally preferable, which means such products are created with lower volatile organic compounds. High levels of these materials can damage soil and groundwater, and emit greenhouse gasses, contributing to global warming.
Kitchen appliances now possess one of the most widely recognized labels, EnergyStar, another EPA-run unit. These labels ensure an appliance meets energy-efficient guidelines set by the EPA and the Department of Energy. Criteria for each appliance differs and can be found on www.energystar.gov under the Products tab.
"It's a fairly well-known metric that will reduce your energy use and save you money," says Ron Jones, founder of Greenbuilder, a development, media and consulting firm dedicated to sustainable development and green building, of EnergyStar. Often, buying a new, energy-saving air conditioner will save you in the end since older models not only cost more to run but often don't work as well.
Whether you're buying one piece of green clothing or remodeling your entire home with energy-efficient appliances, Jones says it's important to note how your everyday activities affect the environment.
"If you start to look at a person in terms of their individual footprint, which includes their transportation habits, eating habits, clothing and housing, it starts to get very complex," he says. "Think through everything. Determine how it will affect your everyday living conditions, and your quality of life going forward."
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Question Focus: Detail question - asks what the passage says about car showrooms
Correct Answer: B
Why this is correct: This is correct because the passage says environmentally friendly products get prominent placement, which means they are easy to notice.
Passage Reference: Car buyers have plenty of environmentally friendly models from which to choose, and energy-efficient appliances get prominent placement on showroom floors.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'get prominent placement on showroom floors' = Option: 'are easy to notice'
Tips: Look for words that describe visibility or position when questions ask what you can find or notice.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A: Students may pick this because showrooms often have promotions. However, the passage never mentions special offers. This is a Not Given trap.
- C: Students may think this because green cars were once rare. However, the passage says there are plenty to choose from. This is a Contradiction trap.
Key Vocabulary:
- prominent = easy to see
- environmentally friendly = green
Question Focus: Detail question - asks how green products are made
Correct Answer: C
Passage Reference: But while an ever-growing range of "green" consumer products are finding their way into our homes, there is very little in the way of industry standard. One manufacturer's green product may have been produced in an entirely different manner than another's.
Why this is correct: This is correct because the passage clearly says green products may be made in entirely different ways.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'produced in an entirely different manner' = Option: 'could be produced very differently'
Tips: Pay attention to contrast words like 'but' - they often introduce the key answer.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A: Students may choose this because products seem similar on the shelf. However, the passage says the opposite. This is a Contradiction trap.
- B: Students may think there are rules for green products, but the passage says there is very little industry standard. This is a Contradiction trap.
Key Vocabulary:
- industry standard = common rules
- manner = way
Question Focus: Inference question - asks what Julia Cosgrove believes
Correct Answer: B
Passage Reference: "Much of what we're seeing now is just spin," she says. "When you look further, many of these companies are still making a big environmental footprint."
Why this is correct: This is correct because she suggests companies do not tell the full story and make products seem greener than they are.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'just spin' = Option: 'do not tell consumers the full story'
Tips: For belief questions, focus on opinion words in quotes.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A: Students may think she is positive about companies. However, she criticizes them for spin. This is a Contradiction trap.
- C: Students may feel companies are trying, but she says many still cause environmental harm. This is a Partial truth trap.
Key Vocabulary:
- spin = misleading promotion
- footprint = environmental impact
Question Focus: Detail question - asks what Made-By monitors
Correct Answer: A
Passage Reference: Netherlands-based Made-By tracks a garment's environmental footprint from the first thread on, and the International Forest Stewardship Alliance certifies wood-made products
Why this is correct: This is correct because tracking a garment's environmental footprint means monitoring the carbon footprint of clothing manufacture.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'tracks a garment's environmental footprint' = Option: 'carbon footprint for the manufacture of clothes'
Tips: Words like 'from' show a starting point, not a limit.
Why the other options are wrong:
- B: Students may think Made-By checks everything. However, it only tracks garments, not all products. This is a Context shift trap.
- C: Students may notice 'first thread' and think only early stages. However, it tracks the footprint from the first thread onward. This is a Reverse meaning trap.
Key Vocabulary:
- garment = clothing
- footprint = impact
Question Focus: Detail question - asks what Earth Choice is
Correct Answer: B
Passage Reference: The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) labeling system, Design For The Environment (DfE), ensures that the chemicals in DfE-certified products--like Earth Choice's new range of household cleaners--are environmentally preferable
Why this is correct: This is correct because the passage directly says Earth Choice has a range of household cleaners.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'new range of household cleaners' = Option: 'produces cleaning products'
Tips: Be careful not to confuse brands with organizations.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A: Students may confuse Earth Choice with the EPA. However, Earth Choice makes products, it is not an agency. This is a Context shift trap.
- C: Students may assume a partnership, but the passage never says this. This is a Not Given trap.
Key Vocabulary:
- range = group of products
- certified = officially approved
Question Focus: Inference question - asks what Ron Jones thinks about air-conditioners
Correct Answer: B
Passage Reference: Often, buying a new, energy-saving air conditioner will save you in the end since older models not only cost more to run but often don't work as well.
Why this is correct: This is correct because he says older models cost more, so newer ones will cost you less.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'cost more to run' = Option: 'will cost you less'
Tips: Look for comparisons between old and new products.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A: Students may think using old appliances is greener. However, the passage says older models cost more. This is a Contradiction trap.
- C: Students may think he wants less air-conditioner use. However, he talks about efficiency, not avoidance. This is a Context shift trap.
Key Vocabulary:
- energy-saving = efficient
- run = operate
Question Focus: Main idea question - asks Jones's general message
Correct Answer: C
Passage Reference: "If you start to look at a person in terms of their individual footprint, which includes their transportation habits, eating habits, clothing and housing, it starts to get very complex," he says. "Think through everything. Determine how it will affect your everyday living conditions"
Why this is correct: This is correct because he wants people to be more aware of how their actions affect the environment.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'Think through everything' = Option: 'be more aware'
Tips: For main idea questions, read the full quote, not just one word.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A: Students may think he wants calculations. However, he talks about awareness, not numbers. This is a Paraphrase trap.
- B: Students may focus on 'complex'. However, he still encourages thinking it through. This is a Partial truth trap.
Key Vocabulary:
- footprint = impact
- complex = complicated
General Tips:
- MCQ questions follow passage order, so use the previous answer location to find the next.
- Always read all options before choosing, even if one looks correct early.
- Do not use real-world knowledge. Only choose what the passage clearly supports.
- Watch for trap answers that use the same words but change the meaning.
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