Cruelty-Free, Natural, Organic: Navigating the Consumer World and Making the Best Choices We Can
There are many positive impacts when we make better choices for the environment. However, navigating through life as an eco and socially-conscious individual can be tricky.
Some people who have always practiced such a way of life would say otherwise, but not someone who has yet to give up conventional products for organic alternatives.
You know that an eco-conscious product, such as Everyone shampoo, is good for you and the environment, but are you ready to trade your usual shampoo for it?
You know that supporting a good cause, such as Food for Life, will have a positive influence on your life and the lives of the people you help, but it's not always easy to donate your money when you have your own bills to pay.
Eco and social-consciousness can be a challenge at first.
This is why we've created this article to help you navigate through one area of your life that you're constantly dealing with—the consumer world, in a more natural, organic, and cruelty-free way.
Because simply choosing to shop with a conscience can make a huge difference.
Natural, cruelty-free, and organic: What do these words mean?
One of the barriers to being ecologically and socially aware is the lack of understanding of the terminologies used. Misunderstandings and misconceptions often lead to confusion that doesn't favor anyone.
The term “clean”, for example, is often linked to “natural”, which gives the impression that both are similar. To a certain degree, yes.
However, the reality is that clean is different from natural, especially in terms of beauty products.
So let’s get the confusion out of the way.
Natural
According to a neuroscientist and holistic wellness expert Leigh Winters, "'Natural' is mostly used to describe the purity of ingredients." While "clean beauty" focuses on third-party testing that ensures ingredients used are safe and that activities involved promote eco-friendliness and sustainability.
However, if you are debating whether to look out for clean vs. natural beauty on product packaging, you should know that these are terms without a legal definition, and can, therefore, be used in many different circumstances by product manufacturers.
Cruelty-free
The term cruelty-free is used to label activities and products that do not harm or kill animals in any way or form. Products that do not use animals to test their efficacy or lack thereof is cruelty-free. This term has several certifications and labels you can look out for, such as these.
Organic
In terms of consumer products, organic refers to products that meet the qualifications for organic certification, contain or are made up of 95% or more organic ingredients, and are produced with little to no health and environmental impact.
Qualifications of organic produce, for example, include:
- Crops grown using natural fertilizers
- Use of crop rotation or hand weeding to control weeds
- Use of natural methods to control pests instead of pesticides
Almost all foods and beverages can qualify for organic certification. However, the major difference between organic and non-organic food lies in how the products are grown and processed.
Food, however, is not the only thing that can be labeled organic. The term is also applied to flowers and other plants, textiles and other fibers, restaurants and other foodservice operations, toys, cosmetics, body care products, pet food and pet products, and seed and gardening supplies.
Now that you know what these terms mean, shopping for such products should be easier.
Why should we choose these products over conventional products?
Are you buying organic produce? (Unsplash)
There are many benefits of cruelty-free shopping, which makes buying Everyone Shampoo a good choice since it's never tested on animals.
Green consumer behavior also promotes:
Higher validity of testing
Unlike animal testing, newer alternatives have to undergo a strict validation process to ensure that the methods used will prove the product tested is safe for human use and consumption. The methods must be proven reliable and more accurate before they are used.
Positive impact on the environment
Growing livestock is resource-intensive. Using animals for laboratory testing produces a lot of waste and costs the suffering and lives of many animals.
The use of pesticides and chemical-filled fertilizers not only affects the environment but the people as well. How sure are you that the produce you eat is free from toxic chemicals?
If you take all of these out of the equation, you reduce waste, conserve resources, and protect the health of humans and the environment.
We wouldn't want it any other way.
More natural and organic products
You don't want anything toxic to touch your skin. Why would you want to ingest something grown with pesticides?
When you choose organic products, you help increase the demand for such items. This will encourage more farmers and retailers to sell only products that are natural and ethically produced, reducing costs in the process.
Going organic also means that the methods used in farming and in manufacturing products will be made better for the environment. While organic practices are not the only solution to our problems, they are definitely a step in the right direction.
You see, there’s a world of good if you choose natural, organic, and cruelty-free products.
How can we find and choose these products?
The internet has made it easier to find products that help promote green consumerism. It's just a matter of running an online search to take the first step to be an eco-consumer.
Green Business Directories
Here, you will find a list of businesses, products, and services that are going green. These include:
- Green-E Certified Companies
- Green Energy Suppliers
- Water-Saving Products
- Green Certified Products
- Locally-Grown Food
- Healthy Food Products
- Green Hotels
- Vegan Restaurants/Stores
Peta's Database of Cruelty-Free Companies
This is where you will find companies and products that do not use animals for testing. Search is categorized as:
- Companies That Do Not Test on Animals
- Companies That Do Test on Animals
- Cruelty-Free Companies by Product Type
- Companies Working for Regulatory Change
- Cruelty-Free Product Availability by Country
- Companion-Animal Food Manufacturers
- Vegan Companies That Don't Test on Animals
Green Online Retailers
Shop Green, for example, sells only natural, eco-friendly, and vegan products, including Everyone shampoo. Because it's a green marketplace, you can let out your green consumer in you when you shop on this site.
There are other e-commerce sites that sell organic and eco-friendly products too.
Get your Green on
When you choose to be socially aware and buy green, you not only make the world a better place but you also make yourself feel good.
Nothing compares to the feeling of doing something charitable, such as supporting a company like Food For Life who can help you feed a child for an entire year and making the choice to support green movements. With every good choice you make, the benefits you receive are two folds, maybe more.
This article is consciously brought to you by the vegan marketers at Ardor SEO.