Homework, skepticism needed with eco-labels It may take some
homework to identify truly "green" products. Special to The
Seattle Times We can't buy green products alone. How are we
supposed to know if that TV or jar of pickles is environmentally
preferable to other TVs or pickles? We need help. Environmental
logos and symbols on product labels can provide valuable
guidance, but the recent proliferation of green logos has
generated considerable consumer confusion. Dozens of green-logo
programs vie for our attention, along with unofficial green
symbols that have sprouted up like weeds. A single product label
today might carry three or four environmental symbols and logos.
Q: Why isn't there one central eco-labeling system, run by the
government or an impartial nonprofit group, covering most
products? A: A comprehensive program like that would be
extremely expensive and complicated to operate. The most
successful eco-labeling programs focus on specific product
categories such as appliances or wood products, or p