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If you’ve ever wondered, “What does eco-friendly mean?” you’re not alone. So, here’s a glossary of ‘eco’ terms.
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With eco-friendly becoming more than simply a buzzword and a regular addition to our shopping lexicon, it also brings a host of other terms for shoppers to know. From one viewpoint, this can be a good thing. If you have ever wondered, “What does eco-friendly mean?” you’re not alone. It’s a vague term with a vague meaning that allows for open interpretation. Having concrete examples- a B-Corp or Carbon Neutral certifications- to accompany it sets a standard for what the word means. Yet, from another standpoint, that also means that there are a lot more terms that sustainable-minded brands and consumers must know.
To help you become a better conscious consumer and to navigate the world of sustainability, we’ve built a glossary of terms that all help answer- “What does eco-friendly mean?”
B-Corp
“Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.”
These companies have received a certification as a business that uses their force for good. Their business model and supply chain are assessed across several areas and oftentimes owners are re-educated on how they can adopt more sustainable practices. From the materials and products to the people who make them, B Corp companies are certified for being well-rounded and transparent about their practices and policies and are held accountable for their environmental and social footprint.
Biodegradeable
According to the Oxford Dictionary, biodegradable means, “capable of being decomposed rapidly by natural biological processes. Most organic waste such as food, wood, paper, wool, and cotton is biodegradable.”
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Biodegradable items essentially return to earth and decompose naturally by bacteria and organisms. When you throw an apple in your backyard and it has decomposed within several months- that’s an example of a biodegradable item. On the other hand, plastic is non-biodegradable and can take up to 200 years to decompose naturally.
Carbon Neutral
Also known as net zero carbon, “is a term used to describe the state of an entity (such as a company, service, product, or event), where the carbon emissions caused by them have been balanced out by funding an equivalent amount of carbon savings elsewhere in the world.”
As a rough model imagine that a brand calculates that a product emitted 30 lbs of carbon emissions from raw materials to the final product that their customer uses. To reach carbon neutrality they’ll look at ways that they can reduce carbon emissions- use renewable energy sources when available, ship bulk packages, etc. If that were to reduce the carbon emissions to 20 lbs, then the brand might look towards investing in a company project that would offset carbon emissions by that amount. Planting a tree can reduce 48 lbs of CO2 per year. So, the brand might invest in a nonprofit that plants 1 tree for every product sold.
Circular
In brief, circular refers to products that aim not to create waste, but are products that can be repurposed or recycled to create other products.
The alternative to the linear economy is the circular closed-loop economy. In this model, rather than using limited raw materials and accumulating waste, manufacturers take reusable, regenerable, recycled, and repurposed materials that can be turned into products and eventually put back in the production line (or disposed of in ways that don’t create waste).
Compostable
Compostable refers to composting, which is “the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants.” Natural items that are biodegradable like food and plant-based items like wool or cotton can be composted. And, much like the natural process, composting involves organic matter breaking down into fertile soil rich with nutrients over a few months of time.
Eco Friendly
What does eco-friendly mean? It translates to earth-friendly or environmentally-friendly and refers to products or processes that are not harmful to the planet. Often considered an ambiguous term, most of these eco-labels are considered to be greenwashing or misleading by the Environmental Protection Agency since there aren’t particular standards or certifications that have been set for meeting eco-friendly claims.
Fair Trade
Fairtrade is both a label, organization, and deal between farmers and workers and the companies who hire them that ensure that international trade standards are met. According to the Fairtrade website, there are several key areas that are guaranteed under the agreement for products that carry the ‘Fairtrade’ label.
- Prices that aim to cover the average costs of producing their crop sustainably – a vital safety net when market prices drop.
- The Fairtrade Premium – an extra sum of money paid on top of the selling price to invest in business or community projects of their choice.
- Decent working conditions and a ban on discrimination, forced labour and child labour
- Access to advance credit ahead of harvest time.
- Being able to plan more for the future with more security and stronger relationships with buyers.
Greenwashing
Greenwashing was coined in 1986 when environmentalist Jay Westerveld noticed brands pushing out glossy ‘green’ advertisements about their sustainable commitments without implementing any real environmental policies. It was around the time that Chevron’s 1985 campaign with bears and butterflies flooded television screens in an effort to portray the energy company as eco-friendly.
Unfortunately, Chevron wasn’t an isolated incident and brands and corporations have been using an advertisement for decades to sell a story about how they are good for the environment. In reality, these campaigns are often false and deceptive attempts to persuade consumers to buy.
Recyclable
This term refers to the recycling process of converting waste materials into new materials. More often than not, chemicals or heat are applied to materials that can be converted into their original state (or reused as another form of recycling). As consumers, we might see packaging with the ‘three chasing arrows’ symbol to show that it can be recycled. This model of recreating something new from waste promotes a circular model as opposed to the ‘make and waste’ model that is typical of waste disposal.
Recycled / Regenerated
Items that have been recycled are usually the end result of the recycling process. These items are made from post-consumer waste materials that have been reverted back to their original form to create new materials. One example is athleisurewear or swimwear products made from recycled nylon.
Regenerative Agriculture
According to Regeneration International, “Regenerative Agriculture” describes farming and grazing practices that, among other benefits, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity – resulting in both carbon drawdown and improving the water cycle.”
In fashion, regenerative agriculture is especially important for materials like cotton and wool. Both have a huge impact on the local environment, soil, and water supply. By practicing regenerative agriculture farmers and herders are able to preserve resources while nourishing the soil.
Upcycle
Upcycle is a form of recycling that focuses on reusing an item or waste materials. Unlike recycling, these items aren’t reverted to their original state. According to Upcycle That it is “the act of taking something no longer in use and giving it a second life and new function. In doing so, the finished product often becomes more practical, valuable, and beautiful than what it previously was.”
Zero Waste
The zero waste movement can refer to the removal of single-use plastics; food wrappers; food scraps, like skins and leaves of vegetables that we tend not to eat; old textiles; and so many other unwanted items that are discarded and often end up in landfills.
Zero waste aims to reduce all of these kinds of waste in a variety of ways. “Going zero waste” can be as simple as cutting out one’s own plastic usage or making a concerted effort to recycle properly and reuse more. It can also be as robust as city-wide efforts to better divert waste from landfills and to incentivize recycling and composting, or even country-wide efforts to prevent companies from destroying unused products.