Green Options

I was really upset when I read this article from Consumer Reports – Five products not to buy for your baby! Along with Baby bath seats, Crib bumper pads and Sleep positioners were listed two products near and dear to advocates of attachment parenting: Co-sleepers and slings!

You did your homework and bought an energy-efficient refrigerator.

It has the Energy Star rating, so you’re thinking that you might save some money on the electric bill and help to green your house by purchasing it.

You might be wrong.

In the October issue of Consumer Reports, “Save Energy, Save Money“, an article entitled “Energy Star has lost some luster” has stirred up some controversy. Consumer Reports rated one refrigerator as using 60% more electricity than the Energy Star label stated, and one, the LG LMX25981ST French-door fridge, as using more than double the energy on the label.

It turns out that according to the Department of Energy (DOE) procedures for testing, the refrigerator’s ice machine should be turned off during the test. Turning off the ice maker on some models, like the one tested, also turns off the cooling to the ice-making compartment.

Who buys a refrigerator with an ice-maker and then shuts it off?

Save money and fight global warming? That's what Consumer Reports wants to help you do with GreenerChoices.org.

Launched in conjunction with Earth Day, GreenerChoices.org features some of your typical Consumer Reports fare (with a green twist) including green buying guides for appliances, cars, electronics, food and home goods. For example, the computers page gives background information on toxics in electronics and e-waste stats, in addition to tips on buying

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