But when you shift your spending to greener products and services, don’t you want to know that your dollars are really making a difference?

Use this simple green shopping guide to help you make healthier and more eco-friendly choices when you shop for the holidays.

Green Holiday Shopping Guide

√ Nix “natural.” Everybody likes the idea of “natural” – which is why marketers slap the words on products that couldn’t be further from their natural state. Don’t get sucked into buying something just because the packaging claims it’s “natural.” Instead…

Green Shopping Solution: Buy certified. While “natural” doesn’t mean much, products whose environmental attributes have been certified to meet rigorous standards by organizations independent of the manufacturer can more readily be trusted.

Look for companies whose claims that their goods are organic, Fair Trade, humane, non-toxic, or designed to help protect forests and wildlife have been independently certified.

We put together a list of labels you can trust here.

√ Banish battery-powered gadgets and toys. Batteries leak cadmium, lead and other heavy metals when they’re thrown away. They usually come wrapped in plastic and cardboard, creating more trash as soon as you buy them. Plus, you have to keep replacing them; in some cases, the cost of batteries over the life of a product ends up amounting to more than the product itself.  

Avoid toys, gadgets and appliances that require short-lived, throwaway batteries. If you must give a battery-powered gift, include rechargeable batteries and the recharger to go with it.

Green Shopping Solution: Buy solar- or hand-powered. Among your options: hand-cranked radios, coffee grinders, blenders and juicers. Vintage-style razors with replaceable razor blades.

A French-press coffee pot that uses no electricity (we sell a few in our Amazon store, like the one pictured here.)

More interested in solar? Try solar-powered chargers for cell phones, flash drives, and radios.

√ Revise wrapping paper. Americans throw away 25% more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday period than at any other time of year, reports the Stanford Recycling Center. The extra waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage, or about 1 million extra tons per week!

If every American family wrapped just 3 presents in re-used materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields. Plus, if every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet.

Green Shopping Solution: Use reusables. Can you wrap your gift in cloth? Try decorative towels, large napkins, festive scarves and bandanas, tied up with shoelaces or ribbons.

Use reusable shopping bags, lunch boxes, and cookie tins, too. If paper is your only choice, choose wrapping made from recycled paper.

√ Skip synthetic fragrances and air fresheners. Ironically, even though these products are supposed to make things smell better, they actually make it more difficult for many people to breathe, especially those who suffer from asthma or other respiratory problems.

Want your home to smell like Christmas? Simmer a small pot of water, cloves and cinnamon sticks over the stove. Need to smell better yourself? Dab a drop of essential oil from your favorite flower (mine is lavender) behind each ear and on the inside of each wrist.

 Green Shopping Solution: Buy phthalate-free. Phthalates are often the building blocks for synthetic fragrances. They’re also found in nail polish and many other personal care products.

The downside? They’re nasty chemicals considered a reproductive hazard in Europe and the state of California.

You can find a wonderful variety of phthalate-free nail polishes, perfumes, make-up and other personal care products in our online store, for starters.

√ Bump BPA specifically and plastic generally. Bisphenol A, or BPA, is like phthalates – an “endocrine disruptor” that could destabilize your reproductive system. It’s usually found in plastic, especially plastic water bottles, some baby bottles and nipples, and rubber and plastic toys. If what you want to buy is plastic or rubber, check the label for the words “BPA Free.” Better yet…

Green Shopping Solution: Buy stainless steel, aluminum, glass, or wood. Instead of plastic water bottles, choose stainless steel, aluminum, or glass bottles that come with a protective sleeve to reduce the chances of breaking.

Choose glass or stainless steel food serving and storage containers, too.

You can find wonderful toys made from wood and decorated with lead-free paint from many American companies.

The post The Only Green Holiday Shopping Guide You Need appeared first on Big Green Purse.

FOOD

Organic food can cost as much as 30% more than food that’s been conventionally grown using pesticides or under inhumane conditions for animals and people. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that staples like organic milk, meat, poultry and fresh vegetables will be on sale just because it’s Black Friday. But specialty foods – like chocolate, tea and coffee, nuts, and dried fruits – are likely to have their prices slashed, particularly at more conventional grocery stores where they’re seen as a premium item. I expect online retailers to offer bargains on gift packs of these items – but there’s no reason why you can’t buy them for yourself.

ELECTRONICS and APPLIANCES

I hate to encourage anyone to buy more electronics, given how much e-waste is piling up. However, if you’re truly in need of a new phone, tablet, computer, or printer, Black Friday is the day to buy it. Do your research now so you can aim for the most energy-efficient, eco-friendly equipment; check this Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics to pick the most environmentally responsible company for the item you want. Plan now to recycle your old equipment when you replace it; stores like Best Buy, Staples, and Office Depot accept almost any electronic device, regardless of the manufacturer. If you still don’t have an energy-saving power strip, get one of those while you’re at it. Appliances will include the federal government Energy Guide sticker to help you choose the refrigerator, freezer, washer or dryer that uses the least amount of energy.

CLOTHING

While you’ll find fashion bargains galore on November 25, not many of them are likely to be green, especially at the mall. Sadly, stores like Macy’s, Target, Ann Taylor, Chico’s, Express, Coldwater Creek, and the Limited are embarrassingly limited when it comes to dresses, shirts, pants, and other couture made from organic or eco-friendly fibers. You might have some luck at H&M; the last time I was in there, I found skirts and blouses made from organic cotton, and some sweaters made from recycled polyester. If you’re not looking for dressy work clothes, head over to Lands End, Northface, Patagonia, and REI. Patagonia has done a particularly good job of using recycled fibers to make its vests and jackets; plus, you can recycle old t-shirts and other clothes at Patagonia when you shop.

JEWELRY

More and more fine jewelry stores are offering bracelets, rings, necklaces and earrings made from recycled gold, reclaimed stones, and diamonds sourced from humane and fair trade mines. Before you buy, ask to see certification that shows where the jewels originally came from.

TOWELS AND SHEETS

Organic towels and sheets are a real luxury, and their usual high price shows it. But even their cost might come down on Black Friday; if it does, go for it! JC Penneys, Target, and Wal-Mart stock organic linens regularly; hopefully, they’ll put them on sale November 25 along with the conventionally produced items. Check online or in the newspaper for “money off on anything” coupons.

WINE, BEER, SPIRITS

Most liquor stores sell organically produced wine, beer, vodka, gin, and possibly other spirits. Whether you’re stocking up for the holidays or want to refill your fridge or wine cellar, take advantage of storewide discounts or sales on individual brands.

SOAP, SHAMPOO, PERFUME, PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS

Stores like Bath & Body Works, the Body Shop, and Origins increasingly sell soaps, shampoos, lotions, and cremes free of parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances. Read labels carefully, and look for products packaged in paper, cardboard and glass rather than plastic.

YOGURT AND BREAD MAKERS

If you buy a lot of yogurt and bread, chances are you’re throwing away a lot of plastic yogurt containers and paper bread wrappers. Pretty much every department store will have these two items on sale on Black Friday.

WRAPPING PAPER AND HOLIDAY CARDS

The “greenest” option is to use paper you saved from last year and to send e-cards. You can also wrap presents in fabrics, towels, or table cloths and napkins or bundle them into reusable shopping bags. But if it’s paper you must have, look for 100% recycled paper or tree-free paper options in both wrapping and cards from Hallmark and Papyrus, among other shops.

Don’t forget your own shopping bag… your reusable one, of course!

Related Posts:

Recycling Your Computer Just Got Easier

What if You Buy Nothing?

How to Shop for Eco-friendly Clothing (Parts 1, 2, 3)

Top Ten “Green” Thanksgiving Tips

Give to Your Favorite Charity Whenever You Shop – At No Extra Cost to You

For more ideas on how to be a green consumer this holiday season, check out the Green Moms Carnival this month, hosted by Betsy over at Eco-Novice.

The post Use Black Friday Sales to Try New Green Products appeared first on Big Green Purse.