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greenliving


Planet in Mind Daily Choices Help


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Counter Climate Change by Christine MacDonald


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Until recently, we’ve been asked to choose between the economy and the environment. Now we’re real- izing that the two are closely linked, and that our continued prosperity depends on how well we take care of the natural systems that sustain life—clean air, water, food and an overall healthy environment.


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20 NA Twin Cities Edition natwincities.com


lthough the worst impacts of climate change are still decades away, experts say it’s already a costly problem. In 2012, U.S. taxpayers spent nearly $100 billion—approximately $1,100 apiece—to cover crop losses, flooding, wildfires and other climate-related disasters, ac- cording to the Natural Resources Defense Council. That’s more than America spent last year on education or transpor- tation.


Given the lack of action on climate change by Congress,


more Americans are looking to leverage their purchasing power to make a difference. Yet, as consumers trying to “shop their values” know, it’s often difficult to distinguish the “green” from the “greenwashed”. Natural Awakenings has rounded up some tips that can help.


Dismiss Meaningless Labels Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., who leads the Consumer Safety and Sustainability Group for Consumer Reports and its Greener Choices and Eco-labels online initiatives, says companies take far too many liberties in product labeling. The dearth of standards and consistency across the marketplace has rendered terms like “fresh,” and “free range” meaningless. Also, there’s more wrong than right about the “natural” label put on everything from soymilk to frozen dinners, she says.


While critics of the U.S. Department


of Agriculture’s USDA Organic label say its regulations are not tough enough, Rangan says at least we know what we’re getting. The same is not true of many claims deco- rating consumer goods, Rangan advises.


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