Billeater: Using GoodGuide to Change the World, One Purchase at a Time

It's safe to assume that most people want to help others in some way, especially this time of year. With the deteriorating environment, struggling economy and skyrocketing health costs, help is needed just about everywhere you look. Luckily there's an easy way to help simply by doing something we all do this time of year anyway: shopping.

Buying Good Products

Thanks to companies like GoodGuide, you can now find out how the products you buy affect others when it comes to health, environmental impact and society. Like most things for iPhone users, there is an app for GoodGuide. This app lets you take picture of a product barcode and look up item's rating instantly on your phone.

Those without application phones can simply use the GoodGuide website to research the products they use on a regular basis in categories that include health, beauty and toys. Each item has an overall score as well as an individual score in heath, environment, and society. You can also check full rating details that have been carefully and independently researched by scientific and technological experts for each product.

On the health score, a 10 means that there are no ingredients that would raise health concerns. An organic apple would do well in that respect, while potato chips would not fare so well. Societal and Environmental scores are made in comparison with other companies and are therefore relative. These three scores are combined to create the overall score.

Cancer Causing Baby Shampoo?

Some of these scores might surprise you. Something that seems as simple as store-brand baby shampoo can be nasty. Method wins for the best baby shampoo rating at 8. CVS Pharmacy has the worst rated baby shampoo (3.3), because it contains known carcinogens dioxane and formaldehyde. If not for GoodGuide, finding this information would be a complicated difficult process for the average consumer.

Benefit Corporations

GoodGuide is just one of an emerging sector of businesses called Benefit Corporations or "B Corps." Companies in this class must meet specific environmental, societal, and high legal accountability standards to gain access to the label B Corporation. You can go to the website and look up business you might buy from before making a purchase. Then you can feel good about your purchase decision afterward.

Before purchasing an item, look at the company to see if it is a certified B corporation or not. Every purchase you make from B corporations promotes good business practices for the community as a whole.

You can spread the love around more by purchasing local and organically grown products, showing your support for local farmers who don't use pesticides. Simply being a little more aware of where your items originate from can assist you in changing the world one purchase at a time.

Consider buying your holiday gifts from some of the following B Corporations:

Uncommon Goods Gifts
GoLite Sportswear
Sa Va Clothing
Autonomie Project Apparel

Alternatively, check out some of the products coming from well-rated GoodGuide products, companies in the Justmeans.com top 1,000 or the Global100.org most sustainable businesses. The retailers listed below, for example, score well on social justice, sustainability and health among the most respected rating agencies.

Melissa & Doug
The Body Shop
Dropwise
Little Tikes
H&M
Nokia

Jessica Bosari writes for the money-saving site, Billeater.com. The site is devoted to helping people reduce expenses, save money and find great deals. Pay Billeater a visit for more money-saving tips!