Environmentally friendly

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Environmentally friendly, also referred to as nature friendly, is a term used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal harm on the environment.[1] Due to the fact there is no existing international standard for this term, the International Standards Organization deemed it too vague to be meaningful.[2]

Contents

[edit] Labels

Environmentally friendly labels are used across the globe to promote products, however there is no international standard, and many different labels. There are three types of environmental labels. Type I is a label that is only achieved after the approval of a third party, Type II is a self-made claim, and Type III labels give information to the consumer about all products rather than selectively pick products that pass a standard.[3][4]

[edit] North America

In the United States, the phrase is commonly used for advertising or on packaging to promote a sale, but no Federal standard is required to display the labels, and thusly the United States Environmental Protection Agency has deemed them useless in determining whether a product is truly green.[2]

In Canada one label is that of the Environmental Choice Program.[5] Created in 1988,[6] only products approved by the program are allowed to display the label.[7]

[edit] Europe

Products located in members of the European Union can use the EU's Eco-label pending the EU's approval.[8] EMAS is another EU label[9] that signifies whether an organization management is green as opposed to the product.[10] Germany also uses the Blue Angel, based on Germany's standards.[5]

[edit] Oceania

The Energy Rating Label is a Type III label[11][4] that provides information on "energy service per unit of energy consumption".[12] It was first created in 1986, but negotiations led to a redesign in 2000.[13]

[edit] International

Energy Star is a program with a primary goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.[14] Energy Star has different sections for different nations or areas, including the United States,[15] the European Union [16] and Australia.[17]

[edit] Methods

[edit] Pest control

Integrated pest management is regarded as a more environmentally friendly form of pest control than traditional pesticides,[18][19] as its goal is to reduce pesticide use to a minimum by using a variety of less impactive means, with pesticides only as the last resort. Biological pest control is another form of control considered by many experts to be environmentally friendly.[20]

[edit] Waste management

Recycling and composting are viewed as more environmentally friendly forms of waste management than traditional burying or burning practices.[21] The Edmonton Composting Facility in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in the largest composting facility in the world; representing 35% of Canada's centralized composting capacity.[22] The $100-million co-composter results in Edmonton recycling 65% of its residential waste.[22]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "nature-friendly". Webster's New Millennium Dictionary of English, Preview Edition (v 0.9.7). Lexico Publishing Group, LLC.. 
  2. ^ a b Labels -environmentally friendly (HTML). ecolabels. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.
  3. ^ Type of environmental labeling (HTML). JEMAI. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  4. ^ a b Arnaud Bizard, Brett Lee, Karen Puterrman. "AWARE and Environmental Labeling Programs: One Step Closer to a Sustainable Economy" (PDF). ME 589 Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  5. ^ a b Environmental Labels Type I (HTML). Ricoh. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  6. ^ About the Program (HTML). EcoLogo. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  7. ^ Environmental Choice (Canada) (HTML). Environment Canada. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  8. ^ Welcome to the European Union Eco-label Homepage (HTML). EUROPA. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  9. ^ EMAS (HTML). EUROPA. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  10. ^ Minutes (PDF). EUEB Coordination and Cooperation Management Group. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  11. ^ Overview of Regulatory Requirements - Labelling and MEPS (HTML). Energy Rating Label. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  12. ^ Overview of how are star ratings calculated? (HTML). Energy Rating Label. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  13. ^ The Energy Label (HTML). Energy Rating Label. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  14. ^ About Energy Star (HTML). Energy Star. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  15. ^ United States Energy Star Home Page (HTML). Energy Star. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  16. ^ EU Energy Star Home Page (HTML). Energy Star. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  17. ^ Australia Energy Star Home Page (HTML). Energy Star. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  18. ^ Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Schools (HTML). EPA. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.
  19. ^ What is a Pesticide? (HTML). EPA. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.
  20. ^ August's Glossary- Biological control. RHS Online. Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.
  21. ^ Recycling (HTML). UNEP Production and Consumption Unit - Waste Management. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.
  22. ^ a b Waste Management Definitions (HTML). C&D. Retrieved on 2007-07-09.

[edit] External links

schools can also help by putting notices up to encourage children

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