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Oftentimes, in your ongoing quest to become greener, you find out that something you’ve been doing is actually less environmentally friendly than advertised. There is no one, easy standard of eco-friendliness, and that can make it feel like a Sisyphean task, but you can make your life greener, easier, and no less ethical.
Recycling
Recycling is a great example. Many people are perfectly happy to put their recycling out on the curb diligently, but where does that recycling end up? The rule of thumb has been that easier recycling, such as a single-stream recycling system, is often simply going to the landfill. Investigate recycling services Fort Lauderdale FL or your area to check where your recycling ends up. Oftentimes a quick news search or internet investigation can give you peace of mind about where your recycling goes.
Energy
Energy is another area where ethical and environmentally-friendly practices can be hard to come by. Look at options from your energy company. You may find that their green energy offerings are only in the form of renewable energy credits or that their renewable energy includes biomass, which may not be environmentally friendly at all. Don’t despair. You can always do your own part by calling the company to demand better options, switching companies, or installing solar panels yourself.
Sustainability
Sustainability affects everything from construction materials to clothes, and there is no single definition of what counts as sustainable. Look at the label. Does it say that it’s sustainably sourced, or is there an actual certification? If something simply says it is sustainable, that may not mean anything at all. If there is some kind of certification, then you can at least look up what the standards are and how they are enforced. As ever, you must question everything.
It seems like there should be one agreed-upon definition of “green,” “eco-friendly,” and “environmentally conscious,” but the truth is that there isn’t. There are many different standards from many different companies. Some of them mean well, and some of them cannot be trusted. It is up to you to be a little proactive. Oftentimes a simple internet search can reveal the truth, but you must be careful to check your sources and no matter what you find, you cannot give up. If your current choice isn’t as green as you’d like, start looking for something better. In the meanwhile, remember that your good intentions do count for something and a little green is always better than not green at all.
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