Seven green products that really work

Known for decades as the authority in product testing for its Good Housekeeping Seal, the new Green Good Housekeeping Seal certifies products that not only live up to marketing claims for efficacy, but for its sustainability. Good Housekeeping Research Institute evaluates various criteria, including reduction of water use in manufacturing, energy efficiency in manufacturing and product use, ingredient and product safety, packaging reduction, and the brand’s corporate social responsibility.

The best part: If the product fails to live up to its claims in the first two years, Good Housekeeping will replace the item or refund the consumer.

The first round of testing included cleaning and beauty products. Upcoming tests will include more than a dozen categories, including building products, home appliances, consumer electronics, textiles and children's products.

Here are the newly certified products, and Good Housekeeping's description of them.

Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment

Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment is made of 100% pure natural colloidal oatmeal that works as a cleanser, while relieving itchy, irritated skin.

In the Good Housekeeping Research Institute's environmental evaluations, the product performed particularly well in the following areas:

• Toxicity and product safety
• Sourcing of product ingredients
• Sourcing of packaging materials
• Producing low levels of greenhouse gases
• Reducing industrial and hazardous waste from manufacturing

Aveeno and its parent company Johnson & Johnson are also making great strides in improving their distribution carbon footprint including increasing the number of hybrid vehicles in their fleet 36% in 2008 from 2007.

Physicians Formula Moisturizer

Physicians Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Tinted Moisturizer, a lightweight tinted moisturizer with SPF 15, consists of 100% natural ingredients including organic jojoba, organic shea butter and organic sunflower oil, with 80% of its ingredients produced from organic farming.

In the Good Housekeeping Research Institute's environmental evaluations, the product performed well in the following areas:

• Use of energy efficient and renewable energy processes in manufacturing
• Toxicity and product safety
• Sourcing of product ingredients – especially the use of ingredients from certified sources
• Reducing industrial and hazardous waste from manufacturing
• Producing low levels of greenhouse gases

Clorox Green Works

Green Works Natural Bathroom Cleaner, which removes soap scum, hard water stains and rust, is made with at least 95% natural plant and mineral-based biodegradable cleaning ingredients.

In the Good Housekeeping Research Institute's environmental evaluations, the product did particularly well in the following areas:

• Toxicity and product safety
• Sourcing of product ingredients
• Sourcing of packaging materials, especially using recycled content in their packaging and packaging recyclability
• Producing low levels of VOCs.

Green Works and its parent company Clorox are also taking substantial steps to improve the environmental impact of their company as a whole, committing to measure and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, water and energy use and waste.

Nature's Source cleaning products

Nature's Source All Purpose, Glass & Surface and Natural Bathroom Cleaners, and Laundry Stain Remover were all rated highly by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute. The All Purpose Cleaner uses plant-based cleaners to remove grease and dirt from a variety of surfaces including porcelain, fiberglass, chrome, ceramic, and stainless steel.

Glass & Surface Cleaner contains plant-based cleaning agents derived from natural substances such as coconut oil or palm-kernel oil and also corn-based ethanol, a plant-based alcohol that allows surfaces to dry streak-free.

The Laundry Stain Remover combines simple, biodegradable ingredients into a natural solution and contains no ammonia, bleach, phosphorus or dyes.

And the Natural Bathroom Cleaner attacks and loosens soil with the power of lactic acid, which is produced from the breakdown of natural sugars in fruits, vegetables and a variety of other sources.

In the Good Housekeeping Research Institute's environmental evaluations, these products did particularly well in the following areas:

• Toxicity and product safety
• Using energy efficient distribution practices
• Reducing industrial and hazardous waste from manufacturing
• Producing low levels of VOCs (All Purpose Cleaner and Natural Bathroom Cleaner)
• Packaging of the product (Glass & Surface Cleaner)
• Sourcing of product ingredients (Laundry Stain Remover)

*Note: Additional cleaners in the Nature's Source product line are pictured. Only the four listed were certified by the Green Good Housekeeping Seal.

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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc