Carpets: Interface Carpets makes carpet tiles with least-toxic glues and accepts back used rugs to recycle into new ones.

Upholstery: A Natural Home, Climatex Lifeguard, Hemp Basics, twenty2, Indika Organics, Maharam and others make all-natural, untreated upholstery fabrics.

Mattresses: LifeKind, White Lotus, Hästens and others make mattresses from organic cotton and wool eschewing toxic fabric treatments.

Paint: AFM Safecoat, PPG, Olympic and Sherwin-Williams make paints that are free of toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which pollute indoor air and also contribute to global warming.

Lumber: Home Depot sells some wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, the “gold standard” label for wood and paper products, according to the Sierra Club, Forest Ethics and many other environmental organizations.

Tech Equipment: Fuji Xerox gets Worldwatch credit for reusing components of machines in newer models. Hewlett Packard takes back old machines (for a fee) and recycles them in its own plants in the US and Germany.

Electricity: Johnson & Johnson gets 24 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, making it the biggest US purchaser of alternative energy.

Shipping: CMH (Canadian Mountain Holidays) demands its suppliers reduce packaging and has forced several suppliers to adopt reusable containers.
Delivering: UPS has converted its 1,500 vehicle fleet to alternative fuels and is debuting 50 hybrid trucks this year. Federal Express has pledged to replace all 44,000 of its vehicles with diesel-electric trucks.

Air Travel: Iberia Airlines claims to have reduced fuel consumption by six percent per flight between 2002 and 2004.

Non-profit organizations are devising systems to help shoppers find green-conscious companies and manufacturers. On www. coopamerica.org, the “responsible shopper” encapsulates the “green” records of various corporations. www.care2.com has a “green thumbs up” symbol noting environmentally friendly products for shoppers online. The Green Guide (www.thegreenguide.com)and Greener Choices (www.greenerchoices. org) evaluate products from electrical appliances and home decorating products to apparel and cosmetics. Green Guide provides a wallet card to consult while shopping for groceries.

In sum, progress is being made. Some consumer watchdogs are policing extravagant advertising claims. The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January will feature an eco-design category to highlight environmental attributes from manufacturing and consumer use to recycling. Other major industry trade shows will soon follow suit.

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