Before You Buy Green Products
"How do I know if it's a green product?"
We hear that all the time at NEXUS. Consumers are awash in green propaganda right now. Many companies are counting on consumers to buy the old fashioned way: purchase first, think later.
Before you become another victim of greenwashing, learn how to think critically about green building products and strategies. Below, we've included some good basic questions to ask before you buy.
Who says it's green and what are their standards?
Click here to learn a bit more about Green Materials Standards and Definitions. NEXUS uses our own screening criteria based on these standards to filter any products that are displayed in our space through exhibits, the samples library, or our build-out.
Before you buy green products, here are some of the more common claims to watch out for:
Claim: "Our product has recycled content"
The manufacturer's claim may be true, but what other materials were used to make the product? If it has 30% recycled content but high levels of volatile organic compounds, or some other serious drawback, it's not a green product.
Claim: "You will earn 14 points in the LEED rating system if you use our product."
Some products may help you earn a heap of LEED credits, if you are pursuing certification by the USGBC's rating system. But more often, LEED credits are earned by an accumulation of good building practices and materials.
Claim: "We use all natural ingredients."
Lead is "natural." Asbestos is "natural." Volatile organic compounds are "natural." You get the idea.
Claim: "Environmentally Friendly Product."
See "natural ingredients" above. Many companies make this claim about their products when the term has no scientific or legal meaning.
Before You Buy
Before you buy green building products, or adopt green building strategies, it’s important to know what to ask. Many companies claim their product is green; fewer can support that claim with facts. Be a critical green consumer.
The following questions will help you make more informed decisions about green products. Remember, there is no perfect green product and oftentimes the financial realities or environmental impact of replacing conventional building components outweigh the benefits of buying a newer, greener product.
With those thoughts in mind, consider the following:
- What is the product made of?
- Does it have recycled content an/or is it easily recyclable?
- Does it save energy and water?
- How much energy did it take to manufacture or produce?
- Does the manufacturing process create pollution?
- Does it offgas or contain toxins that are harmful to people?
- How far did it travel to get here?
- What is the cost of the product economically, socially and environmentally?
- What happens to this product at the end of its useful life?
What other questions can you think of?
Click here for a guide to Massachusetts green building retail suppliers
