When organic grocery items first began to rise in popularity, there were no regulations about how the term could be used. If a cracker had some organic wheat in it, it was often called “organic” no matter what else was in the box. Eventually legislation was passed and items have to be certified on order to use that moniker. Organic means that the product was grown without the use of pesticides. Luckily, when it comes to building products, we do not have that problem. There are many designations for a variety of products and more certification systems are coming out every day. Here are some that you should be familiar with in order to raise your sustainability quotient:
LEED/USGBC: LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a tiered, point based rating system for buildings that is managed by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). A building that achieves LEED certification has shown itself to be better for the environment by achieving specific benchmarks in specific areas: energy efficiency and atmosphere, water savings, community connectivity, materials and resources, regional priority, education, sustainable sites, indoor air quality, and design innovations. This standard has been the main benchmark for green buildings since its inception. Buildings are rated from basic certification to silver, gold, and platinum. In addition to rating and certifying buildings, the USGBC tests and awards designations for professionals. Currently the designation is LEED AP (Accredited Professional), but the designation program is set to expand this year.
Energy Star: Energy Star started as a series of designations maintained by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the US Environmental Protection Agency(EPA). It was established to rate things like home appliances and electronics, but has been expanded to include things like building products (roofing materials, doors, etc) lighting, heating and cooling systems and even whole buildings. Like the USGBC, they now also award designations for builders and leaders. Buying Energy Star products means that you will reduce your energy usage and reduce your carbon footprint, and save money too!
FSC: FSC stands for the Forest Stewardship Council. This is a non profit, independent agency that promotes healthy forestry standards by establishing principals for responsible forest management. They accredit organizations for adhering to these standards who can then use the FSC Certification on their wood products. Buying FSC certified products means that you are promoting the health and welfare of forests, not just at home but abroad as well. It means that you are helping to retain the natural species of trees around the world and reduce the use of clear cutting techniques and pesticide use worldwide.
Greenguard: Greenguard is a certification program standard that is utilized by manufacturers of materials, mainly furniture. All products that bear the Greenguard certification have been tested by an independent third party laboratory, and adhere to strict standards for low emitting materials. The Greenguard program also maintains standards for building materials, wall coverings, adhesives, even insulation. Look for the Greenguard label to promote healthy indoor air quality.
Green Seal: Green Seal is a another independent, non profit organization that sets standards for environmentally preferred products. They test and award products that meet these standards. They are mostly known for their evaluation of paints, finishes, cleaning products and adhesives. Green Seal Products are generally no or low VOC products, which means they give off little or no harmful chemicals. Green Seal products are better for your health and for the environment.
Green Label Plus:Carpets have long been a source of harmful chemicals. There have been links between carpeting emissions and health issues like allergies and asthma. The Green Label Plus is a designation of the Carpet and Rug Institute that identifies carpets adhere to strict emission guidelines of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Carpets that bear this designation have been independently tested.
C2C (Cradle to Cradle): McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry is a product and process design firm dedicated to transforming the design of products, processes, and services worldwide. They developed the Cradle to Cradle designation. What the USGBC and LEED does for buildings, MBDC and C2C do for materials. They evaluate and certify materials based on specific critera and give them a rating of basic, silver, gold or platinum. In awarding these designations, they take into many factors into account: the materials used, the re usability or recyclability of those materials, the efficient use of energy used to produce the product, the use of renewable energy, the amount of water and the quality of waste water in production, and the social responsibility of the production facilities and company. When you choose to purchase C2C products, you can be assured that the product is good for the environment in all aspects, not just one or two.
Of course there are many other terms that you should be familiar with when making purchase decisions. Additionally, there are new certification groups that are popping up all the time. This list is not exhaustive, but is pretty comprehensive for most people and their general needs.
