Ever wonder what that “organic” label on your turkey really means? Or worry that any one of the hard-to-say ingredients in your sunblock might be hurting rather than helping? GoodGuide is a new and surprisingly comprehensive Web site—available, too, as an iPhone app (oh, technology!) —devoted to informing consumers about the products they buy.
Founded by Dara O’Rourke, professor of environmental and labor policy at UC Berkeley, GoodGuide provides detailed yet easy to understand evaluations of the health, environmental and social impact of consumables. It rates more than 70,000 food, personal and household items on a 1-to-10 scale based on data that’s accessible with a click of the mouse. You can learn about the ecological impact of canned tuna, check on worker diversity at Old Spice manufacturing plants or read up on the heath risks associated with Arm & Hammer laundry detergent. But if you start checking up on the products found in your home, be warned: You may be surprised.
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