Shop Green - Big Y® World Class Market®

A Guide to Eco-Friendly Purchases

Purchasing environmentally friendly products is an easy way to go green in your everyday life. But with “green” becoming increasingly popular, there’s a sudden explosion of in-store items claiming to be better for the planet. How can you cut through the “green” smoke screen to find the items that really do make a difference? Here’s an easy guide to some of the more important — and meaningful — labels to look for.

USDA Organic Logo

What It Means: In general, foods labeled USDA Organic have been raised or produced with environmentally friendly and healthy processes: no chemical pesticides, no genetic alterations, no added hormones, no antibiotics and no synthetic fertilizers.

What It Is: In 2000, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) came up with a strict set of standards for foods that could carry the USDA Organic label. Producers undergo annual inspections and random spot checks by USDA agents to make sure they meet the standards.

Where You’ll See It: On just about every type of food and beverage item you can imagine, with more constantly arriving — everything from beverages to fresh produce to meats to packaged goods to candy.

Visit www.usda.gov to learn more.

The Leaping Bunny logo

What It Means: Any product with the Leaping Bunny logo has been produced without any animal testing.

What It Is: The Leaping Bunny logo was created by a group of animal welfare organizations (including the Humane Society of the United States, in addition to groups in Canada and Europe) to help promote cruelty-free products.

Where You’ll See It: Cleaning products, cosmetics, fragrances and personal hygiene items.

Visit www.leapingbunny.org to learn more.

The Marine Stewardship Council logo

What It Means: MSC-labeled seafood has been caught in the wild using eco-friendly methods that help preserve the marine environment and ensure that the supply of fish won’t be exhausted.

What It Is: The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an independent group that works to promote sustainable fisheries.

Where You’ll See It: On many different types of fish from around the world.

Visit www.msc.org to learn more.

Green Seal logo

What It Means: If it carries the Green Seal, a product is “green” across the board — from the way its ingredients were gathered, to the materials in its packaging, to the way you use it and the way you dispose of it.

What It Is: Green Seal, a nonprofit organization, evaluates sustainable products from their creation to their use to their disposal.

Where You’ll See It: Cleaning products, soap and paper goods.

Visit www.greenseal.org to learn more.

Big Y Organic

Look for our easy-to-spot “certified organic” signs throughout our stores - they’ll tell you exactly where to go to find certified organic items.