As detailed in the just released August issue of Consumer Reports magazine, out of a crop of 22 small hatchbacks and wagons, the Insight — Honda’s much-touted all new Hybrid — came in 21st on the road test with one of the worst performances CR has seen from Honda in longer than many of the editors at the venerable publication can remember. The only car in that group to fare worse on the road test was the Dodge Caliber.

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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!

Consumer Reports first blasts co-sleepers saying:

Although sleeping with a baby in an adult bed is a common practice among some cultures, it can be dangerous. The new bassinet-like devices designed to go in between parents or alongside an adult bed don’t necessarily make co-sleeping with a baby safer… Currently, safety standards don’t exist for either co-sleepers or bedside sleepers. Until they do, we think the safest place for your baby to sleep is in a crib.

Then they go on to denigrate slings:

Over the past five years, at least four babies died and there have been many reports of serious injury associated with the use of sling-type carriers. The incidents include skull fractures, head injuries, contusions and abrasions. Most occurred when the child fell out of the sling. As slings grow in popularity, so do the number of serious injuries. No safety standards exist for slings. We think you should skip the sling and opt for other types of infant carriers, which have safer track records.

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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?

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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 new and whether you should "fix it or nix it".

Another draw is the Global Warming Solutions Center that lays out simple solutions everyone can take at home and on the road to reduce the individual carbon footprint.

Most of the static information on GreenerChoices.org is contained within a blog, so unless you're clicking on featured tips from the home page, there are a couple of extra clicks involved to get to the heart of some of the information. Other links navigate away from the consumer reports site altogether. But overall, GreenerChoices.org does serve as a green guide 101 with many helpful tips, information and things to think about for consumers who want to make some greener choices.

Via GreenBiz; Consumer Reports