How to spot fake "green" cleaning products

UCAN In the Media

ECO-Friendly, or ECO Farce?

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	Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tips [3]

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Eco-friendly or Eco-farce? The latest
eco-friendly trend of cleaning green
comes without regulation, so it can be
difficult for consumers to know if the
products they are buying are better
for the environment or not.

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"Eco-friendly doesn't mean anything...
unfortunately marketers have figured
out that people are willing to pay a
premium, a little more, if it says eco
on it. So sometimes it does even though
it may not be ecofriendly at all," says
consumer advocate Michael Shames of
UCAN.

It can be difficult to tell if the products
are environmentally friendly even by
looking at the ingredients on the label.
Just because a product had natural oils
or juices doesn't mean it has a softer
impact on the environment.

Consumer advocates say if the label indicates the product is non-toxic it's better for the environment. Stores like
Whole Foods have done the homework for you. So you don't have to read the labels.

The eco-friendly products can be a little pricier than their more stringent chemical based products. But you don't have to pay more to go green.

"It's as simple as these basic organic materials," says Jimme Rogers of Whole Foods. "Lemon juice on the countertops, olive oil on your furniture. There's all kinds of alternatives. We've got baking soda that's good for cleaning glass especially for your coffee pot."

If you are going to take a chance on eco-friendly products, consumer advocates say it's truly a case of buyer beware.