Today's Green Christian
Caring for earth and its inhabitants Gen. 2:15
Caring for earth and its inhabitants Gen. 2:15
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Labels & Certifications
What's in a Label?
Does it make sense to pay more for Organic? Is it better stewardship to buy free-range? That's what today's green christian needs to know - and is less hesitant to ask. The basis for this discussion is Consumer Report's Greener Choices website. The goal here is to post quick summaries of misleading labelling, and also to point out more reliable labels and certifications. From the website below you can learn exactly what each label or certification means and in which cases it is actually monitored or regulated.
Consumer Report's Greener Choices Website - Click "Eco-labels center" at the left
Companies claiming to provide "organic" products should have at least one certification that requires monitoring and regulation of the product. Example of Certification
Does it make sense to pay more for Organic? Is it better stewardship to buy free-range? That's what today's green christian needs to know - and is less hesitant to ask. The basis for this discussion is Consumer Report's Greener Choices website. The goal here is to post quick summaries of misleading labelling, and also to point out more reliable labels and certifications. From the website below you can learn exactly what each label or certification means and in which cases it is actually monitored or regulated.
Consumer Report's Greener Choices Website - Click "Eco-labels center" at the left
Companies claiming to provide "organic" products should have at least one certification that requires monitoring and regulation of the product. Example of Certification
Foods
As the Consumer report site (above) points out, "free range" means very little. Only in the case of poultry does the animal have to even be outside for 5 minutes of the day! Actually, future plans to provide such access are considered to meet this standard. The various organic certifications are more meaningful and two more stringent of these are: USDA Organic (the familiar circle logo with a lighter upper half) , and Certified Organic. Both of these involve regulation and monitoring, with certain conditions or percentages which must be organic. As a christian, honesty is very important to me. I worship the God of truth, and it is obvious to me that making pseudo-healthy labels does not evidence His way of life. Then, too, scripture speaks of the abundant life for us, and to me, inferior or downright unhealthy products do not seem part of this. When I first tasted really good, even simple food I was amazed at what I'd been missing! You might try wild-caught salmon on an organic salad, just for one mouth-watering example!
As the Consumer report site (above) points out, "free range" means very little. Only in the case of poultry does the animal have to even be outside for 5 minutes of the day! Actually, future plans to provide such access are considered to meet this standard. The various organic certifications are more meaningful and two more stringent of these are: USDA Organic (the familiar circle logo with a lighter upper half) , and Certified Organic. Both of these involve regulation and monitoring, with certain conditions or percentages which must be organic. As a christian, honesty is very important to me. I worship the God of truth, and it is obvious to me that making pseudo-healthy labels does not evidence His way of life. Then, too, scripture speaks of the abundant life for us, and to me, inferior or downright unhealthy products do not seem part of this. When I first tasted really good, even simple food I was amazed at what I'd been missing! You might try wild-caught salmon on an organic salad, just for one mouth-watering example!
Cosmetics & Related Products
Products labelled "Natural" and "Organic" can be misleading for several reasons. First, there is no regulation that "organic" products are organic, nor what percentage; there is only the company's claim at their own discretion . Another problem is with labels that say "__% organic" since companies are routinely using large amounts of water, disguising this by
"infusing" the water weakly with organic ingredients, and then listing this mixture as a first ingredient. This product will end up with a label that says "70 % organic" due to a small percentage of organic "infused" or "aqueous infusion of..." materials in water! Ingredients are always listed in order by volume on labels, so it does pay to read labels when considering a new product or reviewing products currently used. As per Consumer Report (above), even the USDA Organic and the Certified Organic programs are not regulated in cosmetics, which can allow unsubstantiated claims of "organic" in these products. The third biggest problem, as I see it, is "__% organic" products which have harmful substances in that small percentage that is not claimed "organic." Mineral oil, petroleum products, formaldehyde, and worse (dioxins!) are in some of these products. Also watch for labels which include "fragrance" and other unknowns; the Clorox company has bought at least one "natural" company, and listing unspecified ingredients in their labels is not reassuring from a health standpoint, nor for those with sensitivities to certain ingredients. Check the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetics database and other resources, as well as the ingredients database on my Organic & Natural Enterprises Group site. Help with Ingredients Stewardship is showing in our spending dollars, which either support labelling that is honest or that isn't. At first, this complicates our purchasing, requiring more thought; but who ever said that making right choices is the easy way! Scanning for the best certifications speeds up buying decisions.
The good news is that some products ARE regulated. Both USDA and Certified Organic (Australian Certified Organic) programs monitor Organic Natural Enterprises. This is because their "organic" products all meet the standards for "food-grade" organic certification, the same standard as for food. Water content is not allowed in the organic percentage. This way you can be sure of what the label means. Visit my Food-Grade Certified Organic Products Site Nature To You for body care, cosmetics, skincare, nutritional supplements, and other organic household products.
Products labelled "Natural" and "Organic" can be misleading for several reasons. First, there is no regulation that "organic" products are organic, nor what percentage; there is only the company's claim at their own discretion . Another problem is with labels that say "__% organic" since companies are routinely using large amounts of water, disguising this by
"infusing" the water weakly with organic ingredients, and then listing this mixture as a first ingredient. This product will end up with a label that says "70 % organic" due to a small percentage of organic "infused" or "aqueous infusion of..." materials in water! Ingredients are always listed in order by volume on labels, so it does pay to read labels when considering a new product or reviewing products currently used. As per Consumer Report (above), even the USDA Organic and the Certified Organic programs are not regulated in cosmetics, which can allow unsubstantiated claims of "organic" in these products. The third biggest problem, as I see it, is "__% organic" products which have harmful substances in that small percentage that is not claimed "organic." Mineral oil, petroleum products, formaldehyde, and worse (dioxins!) are in some of these products. Also watch for labels which include "fragrance" and other unknowns; the Clorox company has bought at least one "natural" company, and listing unspecified ingredients in their labels is not reassuring from a health standpoint, nor for those with sensitivities to certain ingredients. Check the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetics database and other resources, as well as the ingredients database on my Organic & Natural Enterprises Group site. Help with Ingredients Stewardship is showing in our spending dollars, which either support labelling that is honest or that isn't. At first, this complicates our purchasing, requiring more thought; but who ever said that making right choices is the easy way! Scanning for the best certifications speeds up buying decisions.
The good news is that some products ARE regulated. Both USDA and Certified Organic (Australian Certified Organic) programs monitor Organic Natural Enterprises. This is because their "organic" products all meet the standards for "food-grade" organic certification, the same standard as for food. Water content is not allowed in the organic percentage. This way you can be sure of what the label means. Visit my Food-Grade Certified Organic Products Site Nature To You for body care, cosmetics, skincare, nutritional supplements, and other organic household products.
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