As consumers, we can rely on ecolabelling to some extent, but we need to remain vigilant to greenwashing, given that there are no clear labelling guidelines. One helpful source is the Good Guide, which has ratings for over 120 000 consumer products. Each product is given a summary score on a scale of 0–10, which is compiled from three sub-scores that address the product’s health, environmental, and social impacts.
Explore the Good Guide website (www.goodguide.com).
Evaluate the website and work with the information to answer the following questions:
Is this a reliable information source? Does it have a clear and transparent agenda?
Who runs this website? Do the credentials of the individual or organization make the information presented reliable/unreliable? Explain.
What is the mission of this website? What are its underlying values? How do you know this?
What data sources does Good Guide rely on and what methodology does it employ in calculating its rating? Are its sources reliable?
Do you agree with Good Guide’s assessment of the problems with and concerns about consumer products? Explain.
Do you agree with Good Guide’s solutions (e.g., its rating system)? Do you think the criteria it uses for rating products are sufficient and reasonable? Which criteria are most important to you as a consumer? Explain.
Select one of your favourite products that is also on the Good Guide website.
How is your product rated by the Good Guide? Discuss both the overall score as well as the details of the three sub-scores.
Check out the company website for your product. What sort of information about the product does the company website offer? How does it compare to the information on the Good Guide? Which information source is more useful to you as a consumer? Explain your responses.
On the Good Guide website, search for alternative brands that have a better rating than your preferred product. Are there other choices? Would you consider switching your brand? Explain.