We all want a guide to buying greener products; there's a lot of conflicting information out there! It can be hard to tell what choices are going to really make a difference and which companies are just trying to convince you to buy their stuff instead of the other guy's.

We're here with a solution: The whole Greenopia Team is excited to announce our new Green Products Guide! Check it out- you'll find all kinds of fun, useful stuff that will inspire your shopping- during the Holiday season and beyond.

Our purchases CAN and DO make a difference; by supporting ethical, environmentally-responsible businesses and companies, we can use our money to vote for a cleaner, greener future- and send the message that less-thoughtful companies need to change their ways.

Every single product in Greenopia's Green Products Guide is rated using our rigorous, internal system, and like our green business listings, is then given a rating, from one to four leaves (with four leaves indicating the 'greenest' or most ecofriendly products).

Categories include Electronics (small and large), Apparel and Jewelry, Home and Garden, Food and Drinks, Pets, and Kid's Toys (with more categories coming soon), and each is highlighted with specific icons to show where it's greenest.

Greenopia's head of research, Doug Mazeffa says, "In order to be listed as a Greenopia Green Product, the item must score at least 50% or better in the weighted criteria for that category."

How did we know what to look for in order to rate each product? The criteria that we used were based on an assessment of a product's ENTIRE lifecycle and includes:

material selection
transportation
toxicity
production efficiency
use efficiency/application to a green life
disposal
corporate responsibility

Each of these categories affects energy use, toxic emissions, CO2 production, recyclablility, and more, so that's why it's important to look at several criteria across categories and tabulate them. (Don't worry, we did the math so you don't have to!)

So take a browse around, or check out our Holiday Gift Guide suggestions, which includes rated products from our guides.

Happy (Greener) Shopping from the Greenopia Team!