These days being a consumer can be, well, consuming. We are now blessedly, yet overwhelmingly, inundated with tons of information about food and products. Is it organic? Toxic? Are my dollars going to a sweat shop? Will this pollute the air?
It can seem impossible to know if what you’re buying will hurt you, your family, society or the environment. That’s why you might want to visit GoodGuide.com, “the world’s largest source of reliable information on the health, environmental and social impacts of the products in your home.”
View ratings of household cleaners, toys, food and personal health care products to see where they fall in terms of health/nutritional, social and environmental performance, to match up your purchases with your priorities.
The site also features sections on learning about issues (what does “organic” mean), and relevant news (Venezuela bans Coke Zero). And there’s a great tool for keeping track of which products you’ll buy or avoid.
I looked up my son’s favorite treat—an organic chocolate milk—cringed at its rating, and found a better alternative. Now that’s a good guide!
—Alina Larson
