Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Test Green Products
UL has been a trusted name for product testing for since 1894. They analyze all kinds of goods ranging from duct mastic to baby car seats. Now, UL is an authoritative resource for measuring green products in the marketplace.
Yesterday marked the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and I had the privilege of asking John Drengenberg, UL electrical engineer, a few questions regarding the green movement and how UL is getting involved.
UL Measures Green Products
John didn’t have a chance to address all my questions but here are the ones he did answer. Below are the questions and a brief summary. Skip further down to watch the movie clip.
What is the single-most effective change homeowners can make when “greening” their homes? (1:02)
John touts the benefits of Compact Florescent Lightbulbs (CFL’s), using about 1/4 the energy when compared to an older, incandescent bulb. That means that a 100 watt incandescent bulb draws 100 watts of power while a CFL bulb only needs about 25 watts- saving energy and money.
We’ve heard the mainstream “green” ideas- CFLs, better insulation, etc. What are some other, less common approaches? (1:50)
Again, John shares a little more about CLF’s but also mentions some alternative ways to save energy- turn off lights when you leave the room, only run full loads in your dishwasher and unplug power supplies and chargers when not in use.
What does “greenwashing” mean? (3:32)
Greenwashing is confusion and mis-information in energy claims. The UL Environmental arm works to dispel greenwashing by verifying the truth of sustainability claims.
How does UL measure “green” products? (4:01)
UL Environmental will measure various aspects like water usage, compostability, the number of chemical in a product, how much recycled material is in a product, and more.
For more information check out the UL Safety at Home website
What do you think? What would you ask Underwriters Laboratories about their new initiative?
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May 4th, 2010 10:03 am
[...] Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Test Green Products One Project Closer “UL has been a trusted name for product testing for since 1894. They analyze all kinds of goods ranging from duct mastic to baby car seats. Now, UL is an authoritative resource for measuring green products in the marketplace.” This Q&A post includes a five-minute video with UL’s John Drengenberg, recorded specifically for the bloggers at OPC. [...]