Why Eco-Friendly Products Make a Difference
Many consumers have done their homework and started avoiding unsafe products in favor of eco-friendly ones, which are better for the environment and their families to reduce the number of plastic waste in the environment and also help curb the environmental impact of man. For many families, especially those with children, not knowing what ingredients or carbon footprint are in a product they frequently use might be alarming.
Currently, there is a lot of emphasis on purchasing only renewable energy, sustainable products, and friendly packaging, but what are these, and why are they preferable? What is the negative effect of toxic waste on the environment? Read on to find out.
What is the meaning of “eco-friendly”?
Simply put, an "Eco-friendly" product does not hurt the environment. Eco-friendly products and practices, also known as environmentally friendly and nature friendly, are rules, regulations, laws, marketing, and sustainability approaches in producing products and services that seek to reduce, minimize, or prevent harm to ecosystems or the environment.
How Can I Tell If Something Is Eco-Friendly?
Companies are expected to use environmentally friendly production methods to effectively guarantee the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To "ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns," Sustainable Development Goal 12 measures 11 targets and 13 indicators.
Although many businesses and their products claim to be environmentally friendly, they sometimes mislead customers with the information they provide, confusing consumers who frequently buy their items without question.
The International Organization for Standardization created ISO 14020 and ISO 14024 to outline the rules and guidelines that eco-labelers and certifiers should abide by when creating environmental labels and declarations. These standards are concerned explicitly with avoiding financial conflicts of interest, using reliable scientific techniques and approved test processes, and being open and transparent when establishing standards.
When looking for environmentally friendly products, check for:
Appliances and electronics with the Energy Star label save energy
Cosmetics and foods with the USDA Organic Seal are genuinely organic.
Green Seal, which certifies environmentally friendly cleaning products
Logo of the Forest Stewardship Council, used on wood and paper products
Likely, your products are not genuinely eco-friendly if you can't find these labels or badges. Look for these stamps of approval to be confident that the products are safe and prevent yourself from unintentionally purchasing harmful items for families and the environment.
Benefits of eco-friendly products
Lower Prices
Although eco-friendly products may initially look pricey, they are ultimately more economical. Eco-friendly items typically have a longer lifespan. Usually built from recyclable materials, these items are robust and can endure the majority of knocks, drops, and dishwashers even if the price of eco-friendly goods may be more since they last longer; buying them is a wise investment.
A healthier way of life
The eco-friendly use of all-natural goods has advantages for both the consumer and the environment. For instance, it is well known that plastics include BPA, lead, and other dangerous chemicals that can lead to several illnesses and diseases in children and adults. Diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune illnesses, and anomalies of the reproductive system are among the concerns for adults.
Additionally, it can result in autoimmune problems, diabetes, early puberty, and limited growth in children. Eco-friendly, all-natural goods guarantee families' protection from all harmful chemicals and let them avoid unsafe additions that can result in any of these problems. Life efficiency is improved by using renewable energy, eco-friendly products, and environmentally friendly packaging regarding mortality, age, diseases, climate change, greenhouse gas, and illnesses. They make sure that everyone and everything on Earth is safe.
Sustainable Products
Eco-friendly items come in a variety of forms. Each one guarantees a high-quality product advantageous to its users and the environment.
Types of Eco-friendly products
There are several times of eco-friendly products available online, including:
Eco-friendly woolen headbands and clothes
Check out these gorgeous headbands from Heavenly Himalayan. They come in grey, black and white colors. They employ the most environmentally friendly production techniques. They make a lot of effort to reduce the use of chemicals, water, energy, and dyes.
Aside from the high quality of the product, another amazing aspect of it is that by buying it, you help the brand continue to assist remote women business owners who have no access to the internet or the outside world to sell their goods on a global scale, bridging a gap that would otherwise be insurmountable.
Heavenly Himalayan gives back 70% or more of sales to the women who made these headbands for women, making a significant difference that turns adversity into success. You can join the movement here.
Reusable coffee cups
We reach for a steaming mug of coffee every morning. Regrettably, this means that each morning, we use a different plastic cup (and frequently a lid, too!). Investing in a reusable coffee cup could make a difference for people who are constantly on the go in terms of the amount of plastic used and the cost of these cups. Both the environment and the wallet benefit significantly from the savings.
Recyclable toilet paper
This is not as strange as it might seem! Instead of just purchasing conventional toilet paper, consider using recycled toilet paper. It is often less expensive than the ordinary and is offered by most retailers. This product is excellent for helping the environment, especially if young people use too much toilet paper.
Reusable Bags
We've filled our tiny trash cans with plastic grocery store bags or kept them in our automobiles to gather stray straw wrappers. There are other industry approaches to recycling plastics, though. Reusable sandwich bags, shopping bags, and recycled trash bags are just a few recycled plastic goods that many businesses sell.
Home furnishings
Several brands make eco-friendly home furnishings that promote only natural decorations and recycling.
The following are a few of the most valuable (and fashionable!) solutions for all-natural home décor:
Shower drapes
Rugs
Towels
Blinds
Clocks
Kitchen Essentials
Bedding
Dishware
Cleaning supplies
The cleaning industry is one of the most crucial sectors to invest in while "going green." Harsh chemicals are dangerous to use both inside and outside the home. Examples include bleach, antibacterial soap, and an all-purpose cleanser. shop, produce, health
There are a ton of safer, more environmentally friendly cleaning solutions available, such as using probiotic cleaners, which are risk-free and eco-friendly. These products can make the house just as clean without removing the beneficial bacteria that remain and boosting the family's defenses!
Eco-friendly technology
Electronics now dominate much of our lives. Technology permeates every aspect of our life, from televisions to smartphones. However, these products need to be charged, which consumes a lot of electricity and might increase your electric bill, or they need batteries, which can be equally harmful.
These innovative items harm both the environment and your wallet. Use eco-friendly technology, such as low-light televisions and computers, that provide superb pictures and colors despite their reduced brightness. Alternatively, you might switch out your light bulbs for ones with fewer watts or eco-friendly bulbs altogether. The family and the environment will both profit from all of this!
Recycled toys
Numerous businesses have taken the step to provide kid-friendly eco-friendly toys and activities. These toys are frequently created from recyclables and non-hazardous chemical-free polymers. Since these toys do not expose kids to chemical dangers, they are significantly safer for families.
Due to their tendency to endure longer than other toys, they are frequently more cost-effective. Since these toys do not include plastic, the family can feel secure in their child's safety, knowing that many plastic toys will eventually find their way into their mouths.
Accessories
Younger generations place a high value on style and individual expression. Accessories made from recycled materials and the environment are an excellent method to save money, the environment, and boredom.
Younger generations can choose from a wide range of hip, eco friendly products, including rings, sunglasses, jewelry, hair accessories, and more. Even cosmetics and beauty products are undergoing a "makeover" to become more environmentally friendly and user-friendly.
Eco-Friendly Products: Using Them to Save the Environment
Overall, these items are state-of-the-art and contemporary, frequently enabling you to save money and prevent waste. However, they are more than just healthy for you. The globe needs our assistance in the modern world. The Earth is challenging due to our exploitation and misuse of resources, and we are the only ones who can reverse the damage.
Although it can be challenging to have a significant impact as one person, everyone can help to ensure the survival of our world and ecosystem by using eco-friendly products and preserving resources.
Some Shocking Statistics About Pollution
Some information about pollution is provided here to put things into perspective:
Every year, our seas get over 14 billion pounds of waste, most plastic.
The guts of nine out of ten seabirds contain plastic that they have consumed.
A plastic bottle takes 450–500 years to degrade, whereas PET containers, which are almost indestructible, never do.
Less than 1% of the plastics we bring home from stores get recycled; the rest accumulate in landfills or end up in the ocean.
Plastics take 100 years to biodegrade.
The plastic eventually decomposes and transforms into poisonous microplastics resulting in pollution.
Only 9% of the plastic that is produced worldwide is recycled.
1.5 million barrels of oil are required annually to produce plastic bottles, and additional oil is required for their transportation.
Despite the possibility, glass bottles never biodegrade. They might come in millions of years.
A single-use diaper takes 500 years to biodegrade.
One massive cargo ship that travels halfway across the globe releases as much carbon dioxide as 50 million automobiles; it only takes 15 of these ships, each measuring six football fields in length, to equal the CO2 emissions of all the vehicles on the road in the entire world.
Some Useful Facts about Plastic Bags
American consumers use 100 billion plastic bags annually, producing 12 million barrels of oil.
Each year, Americans use 365 plastics on average per person. Four plastic bags are used annually on average in Denmark.
The amount of petrol needed to travel one mile only takes roughly 14 plastic bags.
In the United States, around 730,000 tons of plastic bags, sacks, and wraps (including PS, PP, HDPE, PVC, and LDPE) were produced in 2015; however, more than 87% of those materials are never recycled and end up in landfills and the ocean.
Plastic was consumed by about 34% of dead leatherback sea turtles.
The typical plastic used for bottles, bags, and food containers contains chemical compounds, including endocrine disruptors, that have been linked to adverse health outcomes in people and wildlife, including cancer, congenital disabilities, and immune system suppression.
In a landfill, a plastic bag takes 1,000 years to break down. Unfortunately, the bags don't decay; instead, they photo-degrade and turn into tiny plastic particles that continue to harm the environment by absorbing poisons.
Prochlorococcus, a sea bacterium that produces one-tenth of the world's oxygen, is one of the most significant microorganisms in the world. Yet, its growth is hampered by chemical leachates from plastic bags.
The 2018 International Coastal Cleanup gathered 1.9 million shopping bags and other plastic bags.
California was the first state to outlaw plastic bags in 2014. In 24 states, including Hawaii, 311 local bag ordinances had been passed as of March 2018. One hundred twenty-seven nations had passed some law governing plastic bags as of July 2018.
Conclusion
With eco-friendly products, you can't go wrong. They are more resource-efficient, longer-lasting, less hazardous, and safer for people, animals, and the environment. Additionally, by adopting eco-friendly items such as the headbands from Heavenly Himalayan, you can find on can support healthy businesses to thrive and also protect the Earth for the well-being of your loved ones. A win-win situation exists.