Green products and Eco-labelling

1. GREEN PRODUCTS
AND LABELLING
PAPER – CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES

2. WHAT IS A GREEN PRODUCT?
 A green product is a sustainable product designed to minimize its environmental impacts during its
whole life-cycle and even after it’s of no use.
 Green products are usually identified by having two basic goals – reducing waste and maximizing
resource efficiency.
 They are manufactured using toxic-free ingredients and environmentally-friendly procedures and are
certified by recognized organizations like Energy star, Forest Stewardship Council, etc.

3. SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GREEN
PRODUCT
• Grown without the use of toxic chemicals and within hygienic conditions
• Can be recycled, reused and is biodegradable in nature
• Comes with eco-friendly packing
• Uses the least resources
• Is eco-efficient
• Has reduced or zero carbon footprint
• Has reduced or zero plastic footprint

4. ADVANTAGES OF GREEN PRODUCTS
• Access To New Markets: Developing green products opens the doors to an all-new market of green
consumers who buy only green products and even pay more for the same.
• Competitive Advantage: It’s a proven fact that going green is a big competitive advantage in the
market right now.
• Positive Public Image: When a brand does something for the society and the environment,
its brand image automatically enhances.
• Brand Loyalty: Green companies automatically gain a set of loyal green customers who prefer
green products over conventional non-environmental friendly products.

5. ADVANTAGES OF GOING GREEN TO THE
CUSTOMERS
• Cost-effective products: Green products last longer than conventional products. Moreover, these
products consume less energy and other resources thus reducing the bills of the users. For example,
Solar speakers can last for 10 hours just by charging with solar energy.
• Low maintenance: If operated responsibly and maintained properly, the green products result in low
maintenance costs. Take green buildings, for example. They market themselves not only for being
environmentally friendly but also for less operational costs.
• Improves health: Since eco-friendly products are made from materials that are free from harmful
chemicals and components, they not only improve physical but also mental health. In green
buildings, large windows are installed which allows healthy and fresh air along with natural lighting in
abundance. It improves mental health and reduces stress.

6. ADVANTAGES OF GOING GREEN TO THE SOCIETY
• Generate More Jobs: According to a study by IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency), the
renewable energy industry has created almost 5 lakh new jobs opportunity in 2017, an increase of 5.3%
than 2016. It is predicted that if the demands of green products continue to grow, the number will rise to 16
million by 2030. Thus, with the development of green products not only the environmental but also the
economic conditions are improving.
• Prevents overuse of resources: Green products reduce the threat of overuse of resources and fossil
fuels and encourages the generation of energy using natural resources.
• Protects the environment: Green products are made from organic and biodegradable materials and are
designed to use least non-renewable resources and toxic chemicals to produce energy. This reduces the
generation of greenhouse gases like CFCs, Ozone, methane etc. and hence prevents pollution and
deterioration of climatic

7. CHALLENGES GREEN PRODUCTS FACE
• Costly Products: Green products require innovation and a lot of investment. This increases the cost
of developing the products, which results in making them a bit costly than the available alternatives
in the market. The cost factor usually discourages the consumers in buying them.
• Ignorance: The common masses are still ignorant about the importance and benefits of going green.
• Investment: Green products requires the development of new technologies. This requires a large
investment in research and development (R&D). Not every company or startup can afford to spend
this amount.

8. GREEN PRODUCT CERTIFICATION
Energy Star (EPA)
• Launched on: March 15, 1992
• Applicable on: Various electronic gadgets, buildings etc.
Energy star is a certification that aims at reducing energy consumption and emission of greenhouse
gases thereby reducing the over usage of non-renewable resources and protecting the environment. It
identifies and labels the products, buildings and electronic appliances with high energy efficiency.

9. FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (FSC)
• Launched on: 1993
• Applicable on: Forest and forest products
FSC aims at the management of the world’s forest and labels and certifies the products as eco-friendly.
The management aims at keeping the air and water clean and reduces the drastic change of
environment due to pollution. Their logo indicates that the forest product has come from some
economically viable, environmentally suitable and socially helpful sources.

10. GREEN SEAL
• Launched on: 1989
• Applicable on: Cleaning products, hotels, household products, paints and many more.
The green seal founder focuses on reducing the harmful effect of raw materials extraction, production,
use and reuse of disposed of wastes. Before issuing the certificate, the organisation goes through a
certain evaluation process that includes reviewing of data, labelling, marketing advertising material and
onsite examination.

11. USDA Organic
• Launched on: 2002
• Applicable on: Food and agricultural products
USDA aims at the production of 100% organic crops and avoids fraud. They prohibit the use of synthetic
chemicals ad genetically modified seeds. To guarantee pure products, they strictly maintain a separation
between non-organic and organic products and undergo onsite inspection at regular intervals.

12. ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT TOOL (EPEAT)
• Launched on: 2005
• Applicable on: electronic products
EPEAT certification helps the consumers to evaluate the environmental effect of an electronic device.
Depending upon the environmental performance, the products are rated as gold, silver or bronze.

13. CLOTHES MADE FROM RECYCLED FABRIC
 One way to make your everyday life eco-friendlier is to dress with clothes made of recycled
materials.
 Indeed, these clothes are more and more easy to find since more and more brands offer clothes
made of recycled plastic.
 But how does one go from a plastic bottle to a garment? First of all, the waste is crushed into petals
and then mixed with plastic bottles.
 Then everything is mixed and transformed into a liquid mass and finally woven into yarn. The thread
is then transformed into material that will be used to produce the collection.

14. SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING BAGS
 Take a bag when you go shopping.
 Instead of paying a few cents to buy a bag on the spot, take a reusable shopping bag.
 As we know, 10 billion plastic bags are distributed every year around the world.
 We can realize how this small gesture could have a direct impact on plastic waste.

15. USE A STAINLESS-STEEL WATER BOTTLE
 There are many advantages to using a Stainless-Steel Water Bottle.
 First, tap water costs 200 times less than bottled mineral water. Also, these containers keep your
water cool.
 And then, the environmental impact of plastic water bottles is monstrous.
 The simple fact of promoting the consumption of tap water thanks to a support like the stainless-
steel water bottle will reduce your production of plastic waste, which is not negligible.

16. AIR CONDITIONERS AND THEIR STAR
 The highest star rating of an air conditioner or any electronic device is 5, and
the lowest star rating is 1.
 Therefore, a 5-star air conditioner will cool your room most efficiently.
 It means that a 5-star AC will cool a particular room faster while using lesser
electricity than a 3-star AC.

17. The mentioned information in
these slides are just mere
introduction to green products.