What are "Green" Products and Services?

We use the terms "green" and "sustainable" to refer to products, services, and practices whose manufacturing, purchase and use allows for economic development while still conserving, for future generations:

(1) The earth's biological diversity and supporting ecological processes (such as nutrient, fire, and flood cycles), and

(2) The components of our economy and quality of life that require natural resources and depend on "nature's services", such as:

• fertile soils and healthy populations of pollinators for agriculture;
• the diversity of tree species needed to provide lumber and paper, and the diversity of plants needed to provide critical medicines;
• healthy fisheries to support jobs and provide uncontaminated fish to restaurants and markets;
• intact wetlands and mangroves to protect our lives and businesses from storms and tsunamis;
• healthy forests to act as a buffer against floods and landslides and to provide water filtration (intact forests can provide this service cheaper than human technologies!);
• clean air to breathe,
• clean water to drink, and
• natural areas for outdoor recreation, hunting, fishing, and spiritual rejuvenation.

We currently use existing standards such as those of government environmentally preferable products (EPP) programs, Green Seal, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Fair Trade and Energy Star to classify products and services as "green".

Selected attributes that describe green or sustainably produced products and services may include:

• They are energy efficient and saving, durable, and have low maintenance requirements;
  
• They incorporate recycled content (post-consumer and/or post-industrial); or have been salvaged from existing or demolished products or buildings for reuse;
  
• For wood or bio-based products, they employ "Sustainable Harvesting" or
  "Sustainable Management" practices;
  
• They do not contain highly toxic compounds, and their production does not result in highly toxic by-products;
  
• They can be easily reused (either whole or through disassembly);
  
• They can be readily recycled (preferably in a closed-loop recycling system);
  
• They are biodegradable;
  
• They are made using natural and/or renewable resources;
  
• They do not contain ozone depleting substances;
  
• They are obtained from local resources and manufacturers.

 Photo of compact fluorescent bulb courtesy of Realgoods.com