Green-wash (green’wash’, -wôsh’) – verb: the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service. – TerraChoice
At ecoDomestica reDesign, we believe that great design isn’t only beautiful, liveable, functional, on time, and on budget – it’s also mindful of its effect on individuals, communities, and ecosystems before, during, and after the project. To do this, sustainable design requires a holistic approach both to specifying individual products, and to the design of the whole home. Environmental, client health, and social justice issues all should factor into the choice of materials and finishes, which in turn must work with the rest of the home to create a space that is liveable and resource-efficient.
The good news is that the number of sustainable products and materials on the market is exploding, and green good looks are available in all styles and price points. Unfortunately, many products are ‘greenwashed’ with exaggerated environmental marketing claims, fit only one or two sustainable design criteria, or are shipped so far to reach us that their embodied energy from transport negates their green qualities.
In this rapidly changing marketplace, it takes careful research to weigh the pros and cons of your green options. Examples of specific issues to be considered in choosing green products and materials include:
- energy or water use in operation and/or manufacture
- use of recycled or rapidly renewable materials for manufacture
- whether the product is durable and/or designed for reuse or recycling
- distance and means of transport through the chain of production
- ease of cleaning and maintenance
- effects on indoor air quality
- conditions provided by manufacturers both in the facility and the surrounding community
- fair trade and child labour issues
It’s easy to get overwhelmed trying to research and make these decisions on your own. Let us apply our expertise to help you distinguish the truly green from the merely greenwashed, find the solutions that best suit your budget, lifestyle, and concerns, and make your dream home a reality. Contact us to book your consultation.
At ecoDomestica reDesign, we also strive to apply the highest green standards to our choices and practices as a business. We support clean renewable energy, and are proud to be a bullfrogpoweredTM company (find out what that means by visiting the Bullfrog Power website). We buy carbon offsets for our driving from Canadian not-for-profit Offsetters Climate Neutral Society, who create socially-responsible energy-use-reduction projects. We use recycled paper products and green cleaning products, and are gradually upgrading our space with sustainable products. We refer our clients to other great green Edmonton businesses. Finally, we are proud to support our charities of choice: Ovarian Cancer Canada, the Allergy/Asthma Information Association, the Pembina Institute, and Habitat for Humanity Canada.