Green, a symbol of life, good health, and vigor, is also a color that reminds us of hope. All around the globe, the word is associated with energy conservation and environmental protection.

The term “green consumption” covers a full range of activities in both production and consumption fields, including green products, the recycling of materials, the efficient use of energy, the protection of the environment, and the preservation of species.

Specialists of environmental protection have agreed upon a definition of green consumption as the five “Rs”: reduce, reevaluate, reuse, recycle, and rescue. In China, however, another definition emerged in the new millennium.

According to the Chinese, green consumption is a principle with three implications. Under this principle, people are encouraged to choose green products that are unpolluted or good for public health, wastes are to be treated under special surveillance to avoid pollution, and public understanding of consumption is to be changed so as to raise people's awareness of a healthy lifestyle, environmental protection, and energy conservation in their pursuit of a comfortable life. The ultimate goal is to achieve sustainable consumption in the country. Besides our own demands for consumption, safety, and health, we should also take the needs of our descendants into consideration.

Facts and Figures of Green Products

At present, around 200 Chinese enterprises, 40 sectors, and 500 products have passed the environmental labeling certification. Half of the labeled products are closely related to people's daily necessities. They include ecological textiles, soft drinks, paper tableware, refrigerators, color TVs, computers, microwave ovens, air-conditioners, detergents, dry batteries, manmade floorboards, paints, pesticides, toilet paper, energy-saving lights, children's toys, and motor bicycles.

Benefits of Green Products

Environmentally friendly and pollution free, green products inflict less harm to the environment and are good for public health. Meanwhile, they are easy to recover and treat after use.

Specifically speaking, however, what are the benefits of green products to our daily life? This may be a difficult question to answer. According to industry insiders, China now boasts nearly 500 varieties of certified green products. Based on their functions in environmental protection, these products are divided into six categories.

1. Products that can help China fulfill its commitment in international conventions: In order to curb pollution worldwide, a series of international conventions on environmental protection have been signed in recent years. China played an active role in the signature of these conventions. In June 1991, China joined the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer and committed to phase out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) by two steps before 2000 and 2010. Representative products of this category include freon-free refrigerators and environmentally friendly aerosol insecticides.

2. Products that can be recovered and recycled: Reusing waste can save resources and cut down pollution by a large margin. In comparison to raw materials, waste is also more energy-efficient and can cause less pollution. A case in point is the papermaking industry, with representative products like recycled paper and recycled plastics.

3. Products that can improve the regional environment: Some products, such as disposable meal boxes and phosphorus washing powders, will lead to regional environmental pollution, while in comparison, degradable plastics, phosphorus-free washing powders, mercury-free cells, and other green products can effectively cut down the pollution to local surroundings.

4. Products that can improve the housing environment: With the development of the Chinese economy, Chinese consumers are growing more mature. They now pay more attention to the environment of their houses. Air quality and noise volume are two major gauges to evaluate the housing environment. Therefore, when purchasing furniture and home appliances, consumers tend to choose those with good performance in these fields. Washing machines with low noise and compound floorboards with low formaldehyde content are representatives of such products.

5. Products that are good for human health: These products now attract more attention from consumers, because, for example, telecommunication devices, TVs, and PCs are believed to be harmful to our body through radiation and the dyes in garments may lead to cancer when they are absorbed by our skin. Green products in this category usually boast state-of-the-art technologies. On the forefront of fashion and development, they will gradually take the place of traditional products.

6. Products that can enhance the efficiency of resources and energies: In the advent of technological revolution in the fields of resource and energy, people are working hard to develop energy-saving products and enhance the efficiency of resources and energy. Energy-saving computers and energy-saving lights are included in this category.

So let's just cut to the chase here: Flip over your favorite plastic food storage container and check the recycling code number. If you spy a number 3 or 7, well, those containers should probably go to the craft room or garage to store buttons or screws rather than food. If there is no number listed, contact the manufacturer. (And to be fair to Tupperware, they do manufacture products that are not made of these plastic types.)

Number 3 is polyvinyl chloride (PVC), also known as vinyl. PVC has garnered the moniker "the toxic plastic" for the presence of DEHA–one of several plasticizers (softeners) used in its production. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, long-term DEHA exposure has the potential to cause: Reduced body weight and bone mass; damage to liver and testes; and cancer. The manufacture and incineration of PVC also releases carcinogenic dioxins into the environment and food chain. Although PVC is not the most common plastic used for food storage containers, some are made from it and it is often used in plastic wrap to improve performance.

Recycling code number 7 includes several plastic types (it's the catchall "other" category–see tips below) but it is predominantly polycarbonate. The problem with polycarbonate is that it harbors bisphenol A (BPA). Studies have shown that BPA damages the reproductive systems of lab animals by interfering with the effects of reproductive hormones and has other serious health effects. BPA's capacity to cause these stems from its ability to mimic the human hormone estrogen–it has been linked to prostate and mammary gland cancers, early onset of puberty and reproductive-organ defects.

As might be expected, given the strength of the plastic industry, there is controversy. Although there have been more than 100 studies showing BPA to be a concern, the plastics industry says it is harmless. The FDA admits that "substances used to make plastics can leach into food," but they maintain that the levels are safe. Safe?! Yes, leaching petroleum by-products and toxic chemicals in your food are safe–don't worry! Now why doesn't that sound right? If, like me, you find the FDA a rather lackadaisical regulator, why not follow these tips for safer plastic use? (There is also that little environmental issue with plastic to keep in mind.) And while some may want to skip the plastic-food relationship altogether, it is a hard habit to break. Many of these tips don't exclude the use of plastic, but rather offer the safest options.

1. Know your plastics. Plastic items are marked with a resin identification coding system (the number surrounded by arrows), which stand for:

1 polyethyelene terephthalate (PETE)
2 high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
3 vinyl, polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
4 low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
5 polypropylene (PP)
6 polystyrene (PS)
7 other (includes polycarbonate, acrylic, polylactic acid, fiberglass)

2. When you need to use plastic, these are the safer choices to use with food: 1, 2, 4 and 5.

3. Learn to recognize, and then avoid, polycarbonate (number 7) for food usage. Polycarbonate plastics are hard and clear. Common items made from this BPA-containing plastic are food storage containers, baby bottles, water bottles, bowls and tableware. (And the lining inside food and drink cans, by the way.)

4. If you don't get rid of all of your plastic, at least retire old plastic containers, especially those that are heavily worn or scratched. Older plastics tend to leach increasing amounts of toxins as they age. Use them to organize and store non-food items.

5. Be careful of serving and storing hot foods or foods made with fats or oils in plastic containers. These foods more readily facilitate the transfer of plastic toxins.

6. Never microwave foods in plastic containers. "Microwave safe" means the container won't melt or warp, but doesn't mean it won't leach. Heating plastics increases the potential for leaching of chemicals into your food.

7. Never microwave food in yogurt tubs, take-out bowls, or other one-time use containers. These containers can warp or melt, possibly causing harmful chemicals to migrate into the food.

8. Avoid using plastic sandwich bags or plastic wrap products.

9. If you must use plastic wrap, make sure it is a brand free of both BPA and PVC. Ziploc, Glad and Saran are promoted as being free of BPA and PVC–but remember that these plastics live for 1,000 years–in our landfills.

10. Avoid deli-wrap and similar generic packaging since you can't ascertain the plastic type used. When sliced cheese and meats are sold in plastic bags and/or plastic deli wrap, transfer them as soon as possible to unbleached wax paper or a safe container.

11. Remember that if you are pregnant or nursing, BPA chemicals are passed through your bloodstream directly to your baby.

12. Instead of mixing petroleum (i.e. plastic) with your food, use inert alternatives such as glass and ceramic rather than plastic food storage containers. Reusing jars is a win-win; and you can often find glass storage containers at flea markets and thrift shops. Or simply store food in bowls covered with a plate.