Look for eco-labels when shopping

shop-791582_1280By USAG Stuttgart Directorate of Public Works Environmental Office

With so many companies these days making green claims, it can be difficult to know which labels to trust.

Eco-labels are official symbols placed on products designed to do less harm to the environment than similar products. The next time you’re grocery shopping, looking for a TV, buying baby clothing or purchasing paint, look out for these labels.

The Energy Star label is an international standard for energy-efficient consumer products that originate in the U.S. Products with this label meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy. For more information on the Energy Star program, click here.

The German “Blue Angel” (Blaue Engel ) eco-label is awarded to products and services which — from a holistic point of view — are of benefit to the environment and meet high standards of serviceability, health and occupational protection. For more information on Blue Angel labeled products, click here.

The European Ecolabel helps to identify products and services that have a reduced environmental impact throughout their product life cycles. For products that carry this label, click here.