Some Things Aren't as Green as They Seem

Green really is the new black: Goods from food to fashion are becoming environmentally trendy. The downside? Many products and services appear Earth-friendly but aren't much different from their conventional counterparts. While there are many shades of green -- and it's impossible to avoid consuming the planet's resources -- it helps to know how to separate fact from fiction.

Here, a few tips to avoid greenwashing.

Don't take the company's word for it."The key thing to beware of is the word 'green,' " says Lloyd Alter of TreeHugger ( http://www.treehugger.com), a Web site devoted to covering all things planet-friendly. "Amazon recently ran a series of ads for cordless and electric garden tools under the heading 'Think Green,' even though people have been gardening for hundreds of years without electric leaf blowers. It may be marginally better to use an electric mower instead of a gas one, but the only green mower is one that you push."

Likewise, the word "natural" on a package doesn't necessarily mean a product is good for the Earth: Chemicals and pesticides come from nature. Aveeno Active Naturals body lotions, for example, contain oatmeal and come in earth-toned bottles printed with plant leaves, but the products are also made with petrolatum, a byproduct of petroleum, which is a finite resource whose processing pollutes air and water.

The same goes for the phrase "environmentally friendly"; even "organic" can be misleading. Read ingredient lists, ask questions and look for certification symbols. The Energy Star logo means that a product meets Environmental Protection Agency standards for improved energy efficiency; seek out foods bearing the USDA-certified organic seal and wood products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Consider the impact of the packaging , which can make an otherwise innocuous product anything but. For instance, applesauce that's USDA-certified organic but sealed in plastic cups with foil lids and bundled in cardboard yields a lot more garbage -- and requires a lot more energy to produce -- than a locally grown, non-organic apple from the farmers market.

Green technology isn't always the best option. A Lexus hybrid SUV, for instance, has worse fuel economy than a non-hybrid Honda Civic. And a 10,000-square-foot mansion built with "green" materials uses more resources to build, heat and power than a smaller house or apartment.

When in doubt, remember: Sometimes the best way to be green is to not buy anything at all. If you have a house full of perfectly good furniture, for example, think twice before buying a new piece. Even if it uses sustainably harvested wood and cork, it still requires trees to build and fuel to transport. Paring down what you consume is the simplest way to help the planet -- and your bank account.

-- Eviana Hartman