It’s becoming a little easier to munch on locally grown organic produce, and with a few label-decoding tricks the savvy consumer can sus out the sustenance value of most packaged foods and where they came from. However, in our consumer-crazed society it’s not just what we eat that’s turning up the heat on our planet. How do I know if my toddler’s “Tickle-me-Elmo” was made a million miles away from Seasame Street, or if the chemicals in my household cleaners are wrecking havok on the health of my family and the planet?
Unfortunately, unless you’re prepared to carry out a full due diligence on every item in your shopping cart (or you’ve got a masters in molecular biology), these questions have been difficult if not impossible to answer. It’s true, I’m guilty of subscribing to the notion that ignorance is bliss – who can possibly decipher the molecular components of mascara, and when it comes to lashes, bigger is always better, even if it applies to the cosmetic company’s carbon footprint.
But alas, there’s no longer any excuse to unwittingly wreak havok on the environment, support poor labor conditions, or buy carcinogenic cleaning products. Need to know which bathroom cleaner has the least amount of harmful chemicals, was made by a team of fairly treated laborers, in a neighboring state?
Introducing The Good Guide, where a team of scientists and analysts have tracked down the products that have the least amount of adverse effects on our health, social communities, and environment.
The GoodGuide has rated a bevy of products – from bathroom cleaners to baby food, cosmetics, medicines and toys – giving them all a score between 1 and 10 (10 being the best and 0 being the worst). Good Guide scientists have collected data from around the world on chemical ingredients, products, brands, factories, companies, industrial sectors, and even countries.
Here are some of the criteria used to calculate a product’s overall rating:
Health Performance
- Cancer risks
- Reproductive health hazards
- Mutagenicity
- Endocrine disruption
- Respiratory hazards
- Skin and eye irritation
Environmental Performance
- Environmental emissions and their impacts on air, water, land, and climate
- Natural resource impacts
- Environmental management programs
Social Performance
- Compensation
- Labor and human rights practices
- Diversity policies
- Working conditions
*Here are Good Guide’s top 3 rated household cleaning products:
1. Miessence Buzz Free Zone Personal Spray
2. Method Glass Cleaner
3. Seventh Generation Natural All Purpose Cleaner, Free…
*Here are Good Guide’s top 3 best hair care products:
1. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Organic Citrus Hair Rinse
2. Dr. Hauschka Neem Hair Oil
3. Burt’s Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar
Click here to find Good Guide’s other top rated products.
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