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University of Nebraska Lincoln
Extension
Lorene Bartos
Shirley Niemeyer
Carroll Welte
Purchasing GreenWhat Does it Mean?
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Why Green and Sustainable? U.S., with 5% of world’s population, uses
about 26% of world’s energy
Buildings use about 1/3 of the energy
consumed in U.S. and 2/3rds of all electricity
Source: U.S. Department of Energy
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Why Green & Sustainable?Homes account for. . . About 21% of electrical energy
consumption
About one-fifth of greenhouse gas missions from burning fossils fuels
21% of the carbon dioxide emissions
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Why Green & Sustainable? Growth in CO2 emissions from
housing is about 32.7% of total
increase in U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions since 1990.
Improving energy efficiency of homes, practices, & products can save money conserve resources avoid more greenhouse gas
emissions (DOE; www.climatevision.gov, July 2005).
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What Does “Green” & “Sustainable” Mean?
No standardized definition of “green” - it is not regulated.
Here “green” refers to . . .Adopting environmental management practices & products to minimize damaging impact on the environment from resource depletion & pollution (Tzschentke, Kirk, & Lynch, 2008).
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“Sustainability” includes…. Ensuring our actions & decisions today do
not hinder the opportunities of future generations
Looking at how we get the resources we use Using only what is needed in a way to get the
most from them Eliminating idea of waste
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“Sustainability” includes….Using natural resources very efficiently without destroying the ecological balance of an area, region, or world & depleting or wasting natural resources
Source: http://doerr.org/html/Sustain.html
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Shades of Green Almost everything we buy, use, or have
in our homes has some environmental impact.
Few things we use are totally “green.”
Example Bamboo Flooring
Is it greener?
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5 Principles of Greener Energy Efficiency – Reduce amount of energy
required to operate home
Resource Efficiency - Reduce resources used in building, modifying, & maintaining the home
Water Conservation – Maximize efficient use of water in & around the home
Indoor Environmental Quality - Create a healthier indoor environment for occupants
Site & Community Impact - Consider the impact of the materials & the home on the land & immediate community, global community, & environment
Permission granted for use by Minnesota GreenStar® www.mngreenstar.org/
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Greenwashing is...Excessive claims for the process or product beyond what the environmental benefits really are.
These may include: Misleading consumers about environmental practices of
a company or environmental benefits of products or services. Vague wording & claims.
Implementing minimal actions & claiming strong
environmental stewardship. Irrelevant claims.
Lacking information or proof of claims or third party independent certification.
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Buying “Green” & Thinking SustainabilityConsider these questions in
making decisions about products & materials. Is item a need or a want? Is item durable, repairable, & if maintained, will it last? Are raw materials from local or regional resources?How will its use or disposal impact the environment? Can it be reused or recycled?
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What do Material Safety Data Sheets & labels say about safety or hazards?
Are certification labels present? Who certifies & based on what criteria?
Will item perform without electricity? Consider mechanical hand–operated products.
Could item be purchased with a friend or neighbor for shared use?
Is item being used in an efficient
way & according to directions?
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Your thoughts? How can consumers have less impact
on the environment & use fewer natural resources?
How can consumers
make greener choices?
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Challenges to . . .Selecting products & materials that are greener or have less environmental impact:
Finding businesses that offer products with less environmental impact
Time to research product or process
Having limited knowledge or resources to research a practice or item
Initial higher costs for some items
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Labels & Specification Sheets
Address these challenges by. . .
Reading labels Looking for third party
environmental certification Asking for the product
specification sheet or more information
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MSDS – Materials Safety Data Sheet http://hazard.com/msds/
Many products such as solvents, cleaners, maintenance products, etc. have MSDS sheets providing information on ingredients, use, potential hazards, storage, emergencies, etc.
Ask for the MSDS sheet when you buy a product
Search the web for on-line product MSDS sheets
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Government Certification Program Examples
EPA WaterSense
FTC EnergyGuide
EPA/DOE ENERGY STAR®
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Water Sense U.S. EPA voluntary certification program High performing water–efficient products
independently tested & certified to meet
EPA standards. Product or service is 20% more efficient
Waterless urinalDuel flush toilet Low-flow devices
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EnergyGuide Labels Federal Trade Commission’s Appliance
Labeling Rule requires EnergyGuide labels, www.ftc.gov/engeryguide, on clothes washers, dishwashers, freezers, refrigerators, room air conditioners, water heaters, furnaces, boilers, central air conditioners, and heat pumps
Appliances must meet the US Department of Energy
(DOE) Appliance Standards Program
Manufacturers must use standard testing procedures to prove the product’s energy use and efficiency
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EnergyGuide Labels Label provides a scale to compare
energy usage of similar models & approximate annual operating costs
Shows the highest & lowest energy consumption or efficiency estimates of similar appliance models based on DOE test procedures & where the model falls on the scale
Use guide to compare energy use & cost of operating for similar sized models with similar functions
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ENERGYSTAR® ENERGY STAR label means product meets
or exceeds the increased energy efficiency guidelines set by U.S. EPA & U.S. DOE
for that product line.
Program includes more than 40 home product categories including . . . Heating & cooling equipment Windows Roof products Home electronics/appliances Lighting/fixtures Insulation and more.
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Organization Certification Program Examples
NFRC for windows Green SealCarpet & Rug InstituteArt & Creative Materials InstituteSustainable Forest InitiativeForest Stewardship Council
GREENGAURD
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National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) label - Windows www.nfrc.org Actual ratings at http://www.nfrc.org/getratings.aspx
Compare energy ratings
─ U-value: a lower U-value = window
insulates better
─ Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC)
─ Visible light transmittance
ENERGY STAR windows must
be NFRC rated.
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Windows NFRC labelNFRC label - voluntary program
Lower U-value means better insulated. Select .32 or below if possible
Select air leakage rating of about 0.3 cubic ft/min. or less
Select low-e (low emissivity) & selective coatings for climate
Compare SHGC – Solar Heat Gain Coefficient for climate & orientation (.30 to .60)
Label example
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Green Seal Independent non-profit
organization, issues environmental seals of approval for consumer products to identify those products that are less harmful to the environment than others in the same category.
www.greenseal.org
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Green SealProduct Environmental Impact Evaluation
done to identify product characteristic& points in manufacturing processthat could cause significant environmental harm
Standard addresses toxic chemical pollution, energy consumption, depletion & pollution of water resources, harm to wildlife and natural areas, natural resource waste, & global warming
Products only certified after testing & evaluation, including on-site plant visits.
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Carpet & Rug Institute GreenLabel & Green Label PlusCarpet & Adhesive Testing Green Label - 7 chemicals
Green Label Plus Carpet - 13 chemicals measured:
Acetaldehyde Benzene Caprolactam 2-Ethylhexanoic Acid Formaldehyde 1-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidinone
www.carpet-rug.org/
Naphthalene Nonanal Octanal 4-Phenylcyclohexene Styrene Toluene Vinyl Acetate
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Art & Creative Materials Institute - ACMI
Non-profit association of art & craft manufacturers http://www.acminet.org
All children's materials certified by ACMI are non-toxic & cannot bear health warning labels
Identifies art materials that are safe & certified in a toxicological evaluation by a medical expert to contain no materials in quantities to be toxic or injurious to humans, including children, or to cause acute or chronic health problems
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Sustainable Forest Initiative - SFI
Independent org. focused on
supporting responsible forestry Certification standard is based on principles
to promote sustainable forest mgt. SFI certified content labels show some/all of
product’s fiber comes from certified forests Certified fiber sourcing labels show product
contains fiber from responsible sources & was
obtained in accordance with SFI Standards
www.sfiprogram.org
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Forest Stewardship Council (FCS) www.fscus.org
FCS is an independent not-for-profit organization promoting environmentally responsible management of world’s forests
Voluntary label indicates item comes from
FSC certified forests, recycled or other controlled materials
For certification, FSC defines 10 principles
that describe how forests have to be managed
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GREENGUARD Environmental InstituteGREENGUARD 3rd Party Certification Standards
for: Low-chemical Emission Products Indoor Air Quality Schools Building Construction Microbial Resistance Listing
Program
Established performance based standards to define goods with low chemical & particle emissions foruse indoors
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GREENGUARDFocus on IAQ & building construction for preventing mold Primarily 3rd Party Certification System for low-emitting …
Interior building materials Furniture, finishing systems Personal care products Interior furnishings Cleaning & maintenance products Electronic equipment
www.greenguard.org
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Testing & Certification & Commercial Labeling Programs
Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool – EPEAT
Scientific Certification System – SCS
Indoor Air Quality Program
SCS Indoor Advantage Gold
SCS Certified Recycled
Resilient Flooring Institutes FloorScore Program
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Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)
www.epeat.net - “search product registry”
Focuses on computers, monitors Expanding to printers/copiers, TVs etc. Product must meet 23 environmental performance criteria
or attributes Compared to traditional, EPEAT-registered products are
to
• Have reduced levels of lead, cadmium, & mercury
• Be more energy efficient
• Be easier to upgrade & recycle
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Scientific Certification System
SCS provides 3rd- party certification, auditing & testing services, & standards
Where standards require lab testing, SCS works with independent labs
SCS offers standards-based product certification for green building products
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Scientific Certification System
Manufacturers can earn certification for one aspect of a product’s environmental impact such as recycled content, biodegradable products, no added formaldehyde, indoor air quality AND/OR for multiple environmental performance attributes
The certified product database is available at their website www.scscertified.com/ecoproducts/products
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SCS Indoor Air QualityOffers Indoor Advantage & Indoor Advantage Gold www.scscertified.com/sustainablechoice/
Focuses on furniture, paints and coatings, sealants & adhesives, wall coverings, insulation, furnishings & other interior products
Certification for Gold includes documentation review, on-site audit of manufacturing plant, laboratory testing of product test samples, & compliance with indoor air quality emissions standards
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SCS Certified Recycled
Material content certification assessment services for products made from recycled or biodegradable materials.
Recycled content products are made from materials that would otherwise have been discarded.
Assessment consists of a desk audit, an on-site SCS audit & in some cases, lab testing.
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Resilient Floor Covering Institute’s
FloorScore® Testing & Certification
for compliance with IAQ emissions for– Hard surface & resilient flooring
– Flooring adhesives
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are evaluated
– FloorScore® certifies products that do not exceed one-half of the allowable concentration limits
www.scscertified.com/gbcfloorscore.php
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LEED - Leadership in Energy & Environmental Designs
Green building rating system Nationally accepted benchmark for the
design, construction & operation of high performance green buildings
Logo used in newly constructed homes or major rehab projects that are being designed & built to be certified as meeting the criteria
http://www.usgbc.org/LEED & related logo is a trademark owned by the U.S. Green Building Council & is used by permission.
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Take Home MessageDeveloping a Greener Lifestyle is Essential Sustainable Practices are (in)valuable Environmental & Social Responsibility are
increasingly important Everyone can become greener
Start small & simple! Being greener can also
save your green!