Products

Product Approval Policy

Green Criteria

Generally a PLAN-IT Hardware product is:

1. least-toxic product in its class to user during use or storage 
2. least harmful/most beneficial to people, environment, wildlife during its lifecycle, which means least-toxic/least-polluting in production, use and disposal
3. produced and traded in socially responsible manner
4. high quality and functions to expectations

These criteria generally point to these kinds of product characteristics:

1. made from easily renewable and/or bio-based materials
2. contains post-consumer waste (PCW) recycled content
3. made with easily recyclable materials (paper, PET or HDPE plastic)
4. are biodegradable or compostable
5. are resource conserving, energy efficient
6. sustainably harvested
7. uses clean energy, such as solar
8. may have one or more certifications, approvals or listings, such as:  GreenSeal, OMRI, FSC, GreenGuard, GreenSpec, LEED, Energy Star, California Title 24
9. avoids use of petroleum derived chemicals, formaldehyde, vinyl or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and other toxic components

Product evaluation resources we used (partial list):

• www.scorecard.org – used to evaluate chemical ingredients
• www.checnet.org – used to evaluate chemical ingredients
• www.pesticideinfo.org – used to evaluate chemical ingredients
• www.greenseal.org – guidelines and specific product evaluations for paints and cleaners
• www.buildinggreen.com – Building Green’s GreenSpec directory with specific LEED product evaluations
• www.builditgreen.org – residential green building guidelines and product evaluations
• www.usgbc.org – variety of LEED green building guidelines
• www.carpet-rug.org – Green Label for carpet related products
• www.greenguard.org – GreenGuard evaluation for indoor air quality
• www.green.ca.gov – California’s green building and green buying program
• www.energy.ca.gov/title24/ - California standards for residential energy efficiency
• www.energystar.gov – energy efficient rating for variety of electrical products
• www.omri.org -  certify products consistent with the National Organics Program
• www.fscus.org – Forest Stewardship Council certification for sustainably harvested wood
• www.scscertified.com – independent third-party certifier several environmental product claims