Buying green and reducing consumption can help the environment. Some tips include buying durable, energy efficient, and recycled products and avoiding excess packaging. Individual purchasing choices, even by teens, can influence companies and send a message about caring for the environment. Various resources provide information on determining a product's environmental impact and finding green companies.

1. cover

2. You can conserve resources, save energy, and prevent waste by buying
products that: ¦ Are energy efficient ¦ Are used or reusable ¦ Are made
with recycled content or are recyclable ¦ Have no packaging or reduced
packaging
waste by buying products that:
¦ Are energy efficient
¦ Are used or reusable
¦ Are made with recycled content or are recyclable
¦ Have no packaging or reduced packaging
You can conserve resources, save energy, and prevent

3. silhouetted image of shopper
Everything you buy affects the
environment, but some choices
are better than others.
Green Purchasing
“Green purchasing”
Green purchasing involves learning
means buying smart. Shop with the about all the ways that a product can
environment in mind—that is, buy affect the environment during the
products that help conserve natural course of its “life cycle”—from the
resources, save energy, and prevent materials used to manufacture it, to
waste. Green purchasing can also how you use it, to what you do with it
mean not buying things you don’t when you’re finished with it—so that
need. By educating yourself about you can make smart choices.
the products you buy, you can make Use the tips and resources in this
a difference in protecting the brochure to make yourself an
environment. educated consumer.

4. Buy smart. Take some time to think before you buy something—maybe you
don’t really need it. Maybe you can think of an alternative to buying a
product, such as renting a DVD instead of buying it or sending a free e-
card instead of a paper birthday card. Shopping with the environment in
mind will conserve resources, prevent waste, and save money.
Buy durable products. Instead of buying disposable products, which are
wasteful, buy things that will last
a long time, such as rechargeable
batteries and reusable plastic mugs
for drinks.
Avoid excess packaging. Look for products that have less packaging, or
buy in bulk—you’ll have less to throw away. You can also buy items with
packaging that can be reused or recycled.
Buy used. Buying things that have been used before means that your
purchase doesn’t use more resources or energy. If the item is still
reusable when you’re through with it, then the next person to use it is
not using additional resources either. You can find authentic retro
clothes, room accessories, and even sports equipment
at your local thrift store. Shop
online or at local stores to buy used CDs and books.
time to think before you
buy something—maybe
Maybe you can think of
an alternative to buying a
product, such as renting a
card. Shopping with the environment
in mind will conserve resources, pre-
Instead
of buying disposable products, which
are wasteful, buy things that will last
a long time, such as rechargeable
batteries and reusable plastic mugs
for drinks.
with packaging that can be reused or
recycled.
Buying things that have
been used before means that your pur-
If the item is still reusable
next person to use it is not using addi-
authentic retro clothes, room acces-
sories, and even sports equipment
at your local thrift store. Shop
online or at local stores to buy used
CDs and books.
shopping
2
Did you know that
since your parents
were born, the
amount of trash each
American generates
has doubled?*
Buy smart. Take some
you don’t really need it.

5. DVD instead of buying it or sending a
free e-card instead of a paper birthday
vent waste, and save money.
Buy durable products.
Avoid excess packaging. Look
for products that have less packaging,
or buy in bulk—you’ll have less to
throw away. You can also buy items
Buy used.
chase doesn’t use more resources or
energy.
when you’re through with it, then the
tional resources either. You can find

6. Share with friends. Another way to save resources and energy is to swap
with friends and family instead of buying brand-new products. Maybe you
and your friends like the same video games. Why not share your games
instead of each of you owning the same game? Or maybe you can rent the
game first to see if you really want to own it.
Buy energy-efficient items. Look for the ENERGY STAR® logo when buying
electronics such as TVs, CD players, DVD players, and computers. ENERGY
STAR is a program designed to identify and promote
energy-efficient products.
Buy recycled. Buying items made with recycled-content materials means
that fewer natural resources, such as trees, were used to produce the
products. Products made from recycled paper, plastic, and other materials
are usually easy to recognize in the store—just read the labels. Try
starting with school supplies. Many stores carry recycled notebooks,
pens, and other products.
tips
Another
way to save resources and energy is to
swap with friends and family instead of
buying brand-new products. Maybe
you and your friends like the same
video games. Why not share your
games instead of each of you owning
the same game? Or maybe you can
rent the game first to see if you really
want to own it.
® logo
when buying electronics such as TVs,
designed to identify and promote
Buying items made
materials means that
fewer natural resources,
such as trees, were
used to produce the
products.
made from recycled
other materials are usually easy to rec-
ognize in the store—just read the
Many stores carry recycled notebooks,
pens, and other products.
3
Did you know
that for every
42 notebooks
made with 100
percent recycled
is saved?*
Share with friends.
Buy energy-efficient items.
Look for the ENERGY STARCD players, DVD players, and comput-
ers. ENERGY STAR is a program
energy-efficient products.
Buy recycled.
with recycled-content

7. Products
paper, plastic, and
labels. Try starting with school supplies.
paper, one tree

8. how do my purchases make a difference?
make a difference?
how do my purchases
4

9. Silhouetted image of shopper
Buying “green” lets companies
know that you care
about the environmental
impact of the products you
buy. Why would a big corporation
care what you think? Because your
current and future purchasing power is
extremely important to them. In fact,
companies spend $12 billion a year
marketing their products
to you.* Shopping
“green” sends a message
to the companies—that
Silhouetted image of shopper
Did you know that 67
you care about the envi
percent of parents
buying a new car base ronment, and you’re not
their decision on afraid to use your buying
advice from their kids, power to prove it.
who are not even old
enough to drive?*
Your purchasing choices
affect what your parents
buy. Your parents
buy groceries and
other packaged
items based on your
likes and dislikes, Did you know that young
Silhouetted image of shopper
people spend or influence
and they might even the spending of $300 bilbuy
a car based on lion a year, or about 1 in
input from you and 3 dollars spent?*
your siblings. Your
friends also listen to what you have to
say when they decide what to buy. Use

10. your influence to help others shop
smart and protect the environment.

11. Use the following resources to find more information about how you can
make a difference!
1. Act Green—a collaboration of the Union of Concerned Scientists and the
Environmental Media Association—promotes environmental awareness and
positive solutions to young people across the country. <www.actgreen.com>
2. www.IBuyDifferent.org is part of the Be, Live, Buy Different—Make a
Difference campaign, which is a new national program from the World
Wildlife Fund and the Center for a New American Dream. It teaches young
people how to make a difference by buying differently.
3. “The Cost of Cool”—
co-produced by the National Wildlife Federation, Population
Communications International, and The Video Project—is a 26-minute video
and curriculum guide package expressly designed for teens. It includes
background information and hands-on activities about consumption, media,
and the environment. <www.videoproject.net/ cost_of_cool_exp.html>
4. Ecological Footprint helps teens and others calculate the impact their
choices have on the environment. <www.rprogress.org/
programs/sustainabilityindicators/ ef>
6
—a collabora-
tion of the Union of Concerned
Scientists and the Environmental
Media Association—promotes
environmental awareness and
positive solutions to young peo-
is
part of the Be, Live, Buy Different—
Make a Difference campaign,
which is a new national program
the Center for a New American
Dream. It teaches young people
how to make a difference by buy-
—
Communications International, and
video and curriculum guide pack-
age expressly designed for teens. It
includes background information
sumption, media, and the environ-
ment.
cost_of_cool_exp.html>
helps
teens and others calculate the
impact their choices have on the
environment.
programs/sustainabilityindicators/
ef>
for more
Use the following resources to find more information about
how you can make a difference!
of its readers try to
use environmentally
friendly products.*
1. Act Greenple across the country.
<www.actgreen.com>

12. 2. www.IBuyDifferent.org
from the World Wildlife Fund and
ing differently.
3. “The Cost of Cool”
co-produced by the National
Wildlife Federation, Population
The Video Project—is a 26-minute
and hands-on activities about con-
<www.videoproject.net/
4. Ecological Footprint
<www.rprogress.org/
According to Teen
People, 62 percent

13. 5. EPA’s Green Advertising Claims brochure contains information about
specific terms used to describe products, including “environmentally
friendly,” “biodegradable,” and “ozone friendly.” <www.epa.gov/epaoswer/
non-hw/recycle/greenads.pdf>
6. EPA’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing program Web site—while
mainly designed for government workers—contains great green
purchasing resources and links. <www.epa.gov/epp>
7. ENERGY STAR® is a program designed to identify and promote energy-
efficient products. <www.energystar.gov>
Buy Green Here
The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County’s Eco-Friendly Marketplace
lists companies that sell green products, including book bags made from
reclaimed rubber inner tubes, hats and mittens made from recycled
sweaters, belts and jewelry made from bottle caps, and purses made from
old license plates and hubcaps. <www.swancc.org>
Co-op America’s Green Pages OnlineTM is a directory
of green companies that are
committed to social and environmental responsibility.
<www.greenpages.org>
7
Claims brochure contains
information about specific terms
used to describe products, includ-
non-hw/recycle/greenads.pdf>
—while
mainly designed for government
workers—contains great green
purchasing resources and links.
® is a program
designed to identify and promote
information
¦
lists companies that sell green
products, including book bags
made from reclaimed rubber inner
tubes, hats and mittens made from
recycled sweaters, belts and jewelry
made from bottle caps, and purses
made from old license plates and
hubcaps.
¦ Green
TM is a directory
of green companies that are
committed to social and environ-
5. EPA’s Green Advertising
ing “environmentally friendly,”
“biodegradable,” and “ozone
friendly.”
<www.epa.gov/epaoswer/
6. EPA’s Environmentally
Preferable Purchasing
program Web site<www.epa.gov/epp>
7. ENERGY STARenergy-efficient products.
<www.energystar.gov>

14. The Solid Waste Agency of
Northern Cook County’s
Eco-Friendly Marketplace
<www.swancc.org>
Co-op America’s
Pages Onlinemental responsibility.
<www.greenpages.org>
Buy Green Here

15. Silhouetted image of shopper
Take the Resource
Conservation Challenge!
EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC) calls on all
Americans to prevent pollution, promote recycling and
reuse, and conserve energy and materials.
Achieving these goals means adopting a resource conservation
ethic, purchasing more wisely, and using products that
are easy to recycle and are made of recycled materials.
For more information, visit <www.epa.gov/rcc>.

16. *This information is cited on <www.ibuydifferent.org>. Special thanks to
this joint program of the Center for a New American Dream and the World
Wildlife Fund for contributing valuable information to this booklet.
contributing valuable information to this booklet.
*This information is cited on <www.ibuydifferent.org>. Special thanks to
this joint
program of the Center for a New American Dream and the World Wildlife
Fund for

17. EPA
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
(5305W)
Washington, DC 20460
EPA530-K-04-003
April 2004
www.epa.gov
Recycled/Recyclable--Printed with vegetable oil based inks on 100%
(minimum 50% postconsumer) recycled paper.
United States
(5305W)
April 2004
2
1EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20460
EPA530-K-04-003
www.epa.gov
Recycled/Recyclable--Printed with vegetable oil based inks on 100%
(minimum 50% postconsumer) recycled paper.