Eco-friendly
There is no working definition of what is meant by the term ‘eco-friendly’. Originally is was used to imply a product, material or process which was friendly to the environment in terms of resource use, embodied energy, emissions, toxicity or waste. Nowadays it is little more than a marketing label.
Questions to ask in relation to goods marketed as being eco-friendly
Why is the product being described as eco-friendly?
What are the environmental benefits, if any, of using the product?
What are the environmental and social costs of manufacture?
Is it actually necessary?
Examples of non-environmentally friendly goods/products
Imported ‘biofuels’ from Brazil or Malaysia: The production of these fuels (ethanol and palm oil) involves massive rain forest destruction. The workforce is largely made up of hundreds of thousands of migrant workers toiling in conditions barely better than slavery.
Further examples will be added to this page at a later date. We welcome contributions from visitors to the site. Contact us as info@sustainability.ie. Please provide references and sources.
Renewable
