Going Green: What's Hype and What Helps

The market for green home

products has had quite a growth spurt in the last few years, thanks to savvy consumers

who want earth-friendly solutions and savvy manufacturers happy to meet the

demand. But how do you know what’s truly green vs. “greenwashed” with false

claims of environmental and health benefits?

Telling the difference has

just become easier thanks to a partnership between the

style='font-family:Arial'>America

style='font-family:Arial'>n Society of Interior Designers and the

style='font-family:Arial'>U.S.

style='font-family:Arial'> Green Building Council. Their

href="http://www.regreenprogram.org/">Regreen Program guidelines for

homeowners and industry pros include a

href="http://www.regreenprogram.org/documents/product_checklist.pdf">Green

Product Checklist that’s helpful in discerning all possible shades of

product greenness, from material composition to end-game efficiency. Following

are the assessment categories to help you create results that are green through

and through.

style='font-family:Arial'>Start with the manufacturer

Green begins at the

style='font-family:Arial'>ind

style='font-family:Arial'>ustrial birthplace of a product, so check out the

manufacturer’s website or product literature for a written, working

environmental policy. It should strive to make important improvements in

production, with reduction and reuse as top priorities, followed by recycling.

The company should also be compliant with their

style='font-family:Arial'>ind

style='font-family:Arial'>ustry’s voluntary testing programs.

style='font-family:Arial'>Check the contents

Find out what raw materials

go into a product and where they come from, remembering that long-distance

transport involves other precious resources. Renewable material resources are a

big plus, as are energy-efficient manufacturing processes. You’ll also want to

know what adhesives, coatings and finishes are needed to make the product

viable, and whether or not the manufacturing process itself is responsible for

the release of harmful substances.

style='font-family:Arial'>The product’s journey to and place in your home

Next up, assess what the

product is packaged with, and how it’s transported to the point of purchase.

From there, confirm whether or not it’ll release VOCs (volatile organic

compounds) into your home environment at installation and beyond, and at what

rate; conversely, it may have qualities that nurture the health and well-being

of occupants. And how about energy─how much does it use, and does it have

a color or tex

style='font-family:Arial'>ture that leads to reduced lighting energy or an

expanded range of thermal comfort conditions? Maintenance counts, too, with the

greenest products having minimal, benign care requirements that call for the

use of safe cleaning products.

style='font-family:Arial'>Strategies for disposal

All good things come to an

end, and a green one is preferred. This can take the form of content that can

be separated for recycling, biodegradable elements, and even the opportunity to

make one product into another that’s new and useful. Some items may also be

returned to the manufacturer at the end of their lifecycle.

style='font-family:Arial'>Consider the cost

With every project there is,

of course, a budget, so the measure of green that you’re getting for the price

will always be an issue. Spending more for something that has less impact on

your health and the environment is a good investment, and the greener it is,

the better the use of your monetary resources. Also refer to the manufacturer’s

lifecycle cost analysis for a product, which can help you see beyond immediate

comforts and conveniences into the sustainable future of your home improvement

plans.

Note: Tom Kraeutler is the Home Improvement Editor for AOL and host of The Money Pit, a nationally syndicated home improvement radio program. To find a local radio station, download the show’s podcast or sign-up for Tom’s free weeklye-newsletter, visit the program’s website.