Decoding Green Labels 101

By VITA Daily

From “natural” tea to “green” cleaning supplies to “eco-friendly” clothing, there are endless products being marketed with claims that attempt to convince consumers they are making the right decisions when shopping. Choosing products with the following labels will help you shop smarter and feel more confident about your buying power. —Green Living Enterprises and the Green Living Show, taking place April 7 to 9, 2017, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre

• Fairtrade

  By VITA Daily

  While many may think it’s the most obvious, Fairtrade is often a confusing term. The Fairtrade mark means the ingredients in a product have been produced by small-scale farmer organizations or plantations that meet social, economic and environmental standards. Equifruit, for example, is the Canadian market leader of Fairtrade-certified bananas, with a large number of retail partners in Quebec and Ontario.

• B Certified

  By VITA Daily

  B Certified is to a business what Fairtrade is to fruit or coffee. Launched in 2006, B Certified companies meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability. Dedicated to offering bee-derived superfoods, Beekeeper’s Naturals is a great example of a B Certified company that has undergone strict analysis and understands its overarching duty to the environment. It is one of 2,048 B Corporations in 50 countries around the world, all demonstrating a desire to make change and be part of something bigger.

• Canada Organic

  By VITA Daily

  Eating organic is one of the most popular ways to lead a healthier, more sustainable life. This can be made easy by purchasing products with the Canada Organic label and certification. Canada’s organic standards are among the most recognized in the world and Harmony Organic is a Canadian company that wears this label with pride. With 14 family farm producers, Harmony Organic is passionate about the quality of its dairy, its cows and the earth.

• Ocean Wise

  By VITA Daily

  Sustainable food choices continue to be important to Canadians, changing the way they think about what’s on their plates. With overfishing being the biggest threat our oceans face today, consumers who choose to eat seafood can make a difference by choosing fish that is responsibly sourced or by visiting restaurants like Hawthorne Food & Drink that use the Ocean Wise symbol—an assurance against overfishing, harm to other aquatic creatures and protection of the marine ecosystem.

• Leaping Bunny

  By VITA Daily

  The Leaping Bunny logo is one to look for when purchasing personal-care products and cosmetics. Companies like Skin Essence Organics that are certified through the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics make a voluntary pledge to eliminate animal testing from all stages of product development.

• The Green Living Show

  By VITA Daily

  The Green Living Show is Canada’s largest consumer show dedicated to simple solutions for leading a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. This three-day event offers inspiration for all ages and features influential speakers, innovative products, eco home and garden design, local and organic food and wine tastings, health, wellness and yoga pavilions, eco fashion and green beauty makeovers, electric car test drives, nature exhibits and fun activities for the entire family. April 7 to 9, 2017, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.