Don’t worry: GoodGuide’s web and mobile apps are not going away. We will continue to operate “business as usual,” and our team will still be building tools and rating products to help you find the best products for you and your family. We will also be working to enhance and optimize those tools and rating systems to serve even more users and prospective customers as part of our longer-term goals.

Joining UL Environment provides GoodGuide with a strong and trusted commercial partner that is mission-aligned and that will help ensure the continued availability of GoodGuide information. UL is one of the oldest and most respected brands in the product testing, certifying, and information-sharing space. By becoming part of UL Environment, we will be able to continue to improve the quality of the information we use in our ratings and recommendations.

THANK YOU so much for your support over the last several years. We look forward to this next phase in our mission to empower people with better information that helps move the market towards safer, healthier, and greener products.

Sincerely,

George Consagra
CEO

about how corporations can help save the planet one small step at a time. It’s an introduction to a bright new future where companies tell the truth and work hard to create better products and a better planet. Corporations have incredible influence on the world we live in and that’s given them free reign to pollute, collude and mislead us, but advances in technology are rapidly making them accountable not just to shareholders, but to everyone. Now that we have constant access to the truth about the products we use and the ethics of the companies behind them, big brands are realizing that looking great isn’t enough. It’s time to actually be great.

The documentary features interesting interviews with some of the leading thinkers in the world of corporate marketing and communications: Alex Bogusky, Tony Hsieh, Yvon Chouinard, Keith Weed, and more. 

Check out the film and the growing movement towards radical transparency.

• Watch for generic terms such as “fragrance”, which can conceal ingredients that may cause allergies and other health effects.
• Consult GoodGuide to see if your product of choice contains any chemicals of high risk, such as triclosan, alkyl phenol ethoxylates or ammonium quaternary compounds.
• Choose products that are efficiently packaged in recyclable containers.
• Look for cleaning products whose formulations have been certified by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Design for the Environment program or GreenSeal.
• You can always make your own cleaners. For example, vinegar and baking soda will unclog a drain.
• Read more about issues with household cleaners here.

(PS – Sugar isn’t the only thing to consider when trying to eat a balanced diet. It’s just a pretty big piece of the puzzle since we eat so much of it.)

New York Times “Is It Safe To Play Yet?” Profiling parents who go through extreme lengths to ensure their children are living in homes free of chemicals and toxins, GoodGuide is listed as a prominent resource.

Triple Pundit “What 4 Global Trends Will Drive 21st Century Investing?” GoodGuide’s increasing popularity is used as an example of how the demand for ‘good’ is becoming an important trend this year.

Wall Street Journal “How Product Sustainability Matters To Consumers” This video features GoodGuide co-founder Dara O’Rourke at the WSJ Eco:nomics conference discussing why consumers are willing to pay extra money for sustainable products.

Ireland:AM “Beauty: Top 4 Apps” Recognized internationally, GoodGuide was featured as one of the best beauty apps because of the extensive information it provides about the safety of popular grooming products.

In minutes, the app will analyze all of the brands you and your friends “like” on Facebook and reveal if they have good or bad climate change records. Shocked that your sister likes five brands that are polluting the environment? Nudge her to “unlike” the offenders. Proud that your best friend only likes brands working to reduce carbon emissions? Salute him/her on their wall. By sharing this valuable information, you will be educating your friends and family about the brands we should be supporting and those we should be avoiding. Who ever thought you could help save the planet with a click of a button?

Where is the best place to purchase food?

• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store (fresh produce) and avoid the aisles (packaged food).
• Visit your local farmer’s market so you can actually meet the people growing your food.
• Join a CSA with other people in your household or office.
• Plant your own garden! Food in grocry stores has traveled around 1,300 miles on average, which really adds up.

What are tips for cooking at home more often?

• Set an attainable goal to cook at least one meal per day or a few days a week.
• Plan your meals ahead of time and make just one weekly grocery trip.
• Host a dinner party to share sustainable cooking ideas with friends and family.
• Post favorite meals (with pictures!) on your fridge for inspiration.
• Take turns with co-workers cooking a weekly meal for the whole office.

What are the issues with consuming too much meat?

• You save more water by not eating 1lb of meat than you do by not showering for 6 months!
• A meal of fruits, vegetables, and grains generates 24 times less greenhouse gas emissions than 6 ounces of conventionally raised beef.
• Cutting meat usually means getting more fiber, folic acid, vitamins C and E, potassium & magnesium.
• Partcipate in Meatless Mondays and aim to give up meat at least once a week.

What can you do with leftovers?

• Bring for lunch the next day.
• Freeze ends of vegetables and make stock.
• Casseroles, quesadillas, and soups are easy dishes that you can integrate leftovers into.
• Start a compost bin!

What labels/certifications should you look for when choosing food?

• No additives/preservatives and organic certification.
• Check out NRDC’s labeling guide
• The less complicated ingredients, the better.
• Labels are important, but go straight to the source and meet the farmer who produced your food!

Food production has changed dramatically over the past several years, making food cheaper at the expense of our health and the environment. While some would argue that the industrial food system has brought efficiency and reliability to our food supply, the changes in how we get our food have resulted in a major disconnect between consumers and the rest of the food system. However, there is a growing movement to address this disconnect, bring mindfulness back to eating, and show people that their meals do indeed matter. We’re getting in on the action, and so can you: now is your chance to learn how small, simple changes to your everyday meals can have a big impact on your body, the environment and society.

Join the “Your Meal Matters” Twitter chat party on March 27 at 9:30am PST/ 12:30pm EST to learn how. GoodGuide (@GoodGuide) will be partnering with organizations across the globe including Greennovate  (@Greennovate), Roots of Change (@RootsofChange), EatingWell (@EatingWell) and Practically Green (@PracticallyGrn) to share ideas about how each of us can make an impact. We will spend an hour discussing everything from what to do with your leftovers to how to navigate the grocery store. Just follow the hashtag #YourMealMatters to join in!

The party doesn’t stop there! To add to the excitement, we will pick the best tips to be featured as Practically Green actions after the chat. If you have a great idea about how to (easily!) make healthier and environmentally friendly food choices, it could be broadcast to the entire Practically Green community and help thousands of other people make better meal choices.

Partners include:

Greennovate: A sustainable consultancy that aims to raise environmental awareness by providing innovative educational programs such as this “Three Meals That Matter” video.

Roots of Change: Works to develop and support a collaborative network of leaders with interest in establishing a sustainable food system that share a commitment to changing our food thinking, food markets, and food policies.

Practically Green: A community for people striving to lead a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Provides tools that make green actions much simpler, more personal and fun.

EatingWell: A bi-monthly national food and health magazine and website that provides the inspiration and information people need to make healthy eating a way of life through recipes, cooking tips, health information and coverage of food news and sustainability issues.

We are also excited for organizations including Meatless Monday (encourages going meatless on Mondays to improve the environment and personal health) and Sustainable Table (educates consumers on food-related issues and works to build community through food) to join in the chat and lend their expertise. Let us know in the comments section if you will be attending also!

The Department of Agriculture came to this realization last year and wisely updated MyPyramid to MyPlate. MyPlate is the federal government’s latest attempt to simplify the very complex topic of dietary guidance. While it has its shortcomings (read our blogpost on that topic), it does provide basic, actionable advice that will be of use to all Americans. According to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, “The USDA is committed to helping Americans make healthier food choices and our MyPlate symbol is a simple reminder to think before we eat.” To get people thinking more about their plates (and bowls), the USDA has designated Thursday, March 8th as “What’s on MyPlate?” Day. Working with nearly 6,000 partners, the department is encouraging people to share stories and pictures of their healthy plates on Twitter and Flickr with the hashtag #MyPlate.

We’ve decided to get in on the fun, and will be posting some pictures of our plates tomorrow. Why? At the end of the day adopting new behaviors, or modifying existing behaviors, has to start somewhere. We hope you’ll join us and use tomorrow to practice building your plate with these tips from MyPlate.

• Balancing calories: enjoy your food, but eat less; avoid oversized portions
• Foods to increase: make half your plate fruits and vegetables; make at least half your grains whole grains; switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
• Foods to reduce: compare sodium in foods like soup, bread and frozen meals – and choose foods with lower numbers; drink water instead of sugary drinks.