Waste
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Procurement
There are many things that you can do to ensure that the products and services you are purchasing are environmentally sound.
Read Labels
Understanding what is in the products you buy will help protect you and the environment. Always read product labels, it can provide information that could save lives and protect the environment.
Does the product contain toxic ingredients? Is there a warning on the bottle, why?
Products may contain ingredients that are known to cause cancer, others are irritating to the eye, nose and skin or can bring on an asthmatic attack, and some are toxic to the human reproductive and nervous systems. Recognizing these hazards are important when assessing how to use a product and if you should consider safer alternatives.
Look for known environmental pollutants such as Polyvinyl Chlorides (PVC), chlorine, bleach, acid, nitrogen, phosphorus, mercury, lead and CFCs.
These contaminants contribute to global warming, clog up our rivers and lakes, cause various mutations and reproductive disorders in wildlife, and poison the earth. If we all collectively made a conscious decision to eliminate products with these ingredients from our shopping list, and replace them with ones that are bio-based and environmentally friendly, we could make a huge dent in the amount of pollutants entering our environment on a daily basis.
Become Familiar with Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
Another way you can begin to assert your purchasing power, is to become familiar with Material Safety Data Sheets and all the information they provide. Once you are aware of all the hazards outlined in the MSDS sheet, you may decide that a “greener” option might be a better choice.
