What does this table mean?

At Green Beings we want to make sure as far as we can that the products and services listed on the site have significantly less environmental impacts than traditional alternatives. We aim to show this in simple terms by providing (1) a checklist of tick-boxes which give you the basic information at a glance and (2) a high level lifecycle analysis we have compiled by reviewing information on the product, conducting research and asking questions about the producer or service provider.

The tick-box

√	Made from recycled materials
√	Minimises the use of pesticides / fertilizers
√	Fairtrade
√	Aussie made
√	Sustainable
√	Minimises chemical use
√	Lifecycle impacts considered

Categories explained:

Made from recycled materials – the product must include a proportion of post consumer recycled materials e.g recycled plastic or paper.

Minimises the use of pesticides/fertilizers – this can include certified organic produce or products which typically do not require the use of pesticides/fertilizers or other chemicals such as hemp and bamboo.

Fairtrade – this includes certified fair-trade or fairwear goods.

Aussie made – a significant portion of the manufacturing process is conducted in Australia. A number of items which are designed in Australia but none of the production steps occur here would not be classed as Aussie made.

Sustainable – this refers to the material used and whether it could be considered a sustainable resource. An example of a sustainable resource would be bamboo or properly managed and certified forestry plantations.

Minimises chemical use – refers to the manufacturing process whereby natural products (such as dyes or detergents) are used in preference to synthetic chemicals or toxic substances.

Lifecycle impacts considered – this considers whether, during manufacture, measures have been put in place to minimize water and energy use, and during the life of the product whether the product is designed to be durable, and if it can be easily repaired. It also considers whether the end of life has been included in design, for example whether the item has been specifically designed to enable it to be reused/recycled at the end of its current use.

The lifecycle assessment

There are 5 main areas covered in the lifecycle processes:

Raw material – Here details of the raw materials are provided which includes what the raw materials are, how they are obtained or grown and where they come from. In many cases we also aim to provide a bit of background information on the raw materials.

Details on the raw material certification is provided, for example non-GMO Certified by SKAL.

Manufacturing – Details of how and where the product is manufactured are explained. This includes processing of the raw material, manufacturing of the elements which make up the product, as well as the assembly or finishing processes. This includes consideration of efforts made to minimize the use of resources including energy, water or to avoid artificial chemicals or pollution.

We aim to identify producers who have looked into the ethical standards of the manufacturing facilities to avoid the potential for exploitation and to ensure as far as possible that a high ethical standard is achieved. Certification such as Fairwear, is listed where appropriate.

Products which are tested on animals are not included on the Green Beings site.

Where packaging is a significant element of the product, for example for food or beverages, we include details of the manufacturing process for the packaging materials.

Distribution – It is rare that raw materials, manufacturing and point of sale all occur in the same location. As such we document the potential impacts in terms of emissions from transporting the various materials around. In most cases the producers have tried to reduce miles by transporting in bulk, sourcing materials locally or if this is not possible, then offsetting the emissions.

Product use – This covers the useful life of the product and details the design features which ensure that the items have a long life, e.g. creation of classic clothing styles that are resistant to fashion changes. Items on the Green Beings site should be built to last and be repairable or reusable to minimize waste.

Many items are designed to reduce or eliminate material consumption (for example water or energy) or to reduce operational emissions, impacts or pollution, such as energy saving lightbulbs.

Waste management – Here we consider the potential for reuse or recycling of a product – can it be recycled and do the recycling facilities readily exist. It is no good being recyclable if it is difficult or expensive to find a facility to accept it.

If not recyclable is the product biodegradable and can be composted rather than disposed of to landfill?

This is also the area where packaging material is considered. In all cases the packaging material should be minimized and made from recycled/recyclable or sustainable packaging materials.