In the April issue of Good Housekeeping, (which hit newsstands yesterday), the magazine introduced us to a second, Green Good Housekeeping Seal that’s been added to their quality-assurance arsenal. Good Housekeeping stepped into the green movement when it found its readers were interested in buying eco-friendly products, but found themselves confused with all the “green” misinterpretations.

The magazine has partnered with the California-based environmental consultancy firm Brown & Wilmanns Environmental to develop its green criteria and determine a product’s composition, manufacturing, and packaging before giving it a green seal.

Good Housekeeping Green Seal

Good Housekeeping has been around for 124 years and has a circulation of 25 million. That’s a long time and a lot of readers. I’m happy that what is normally considered a “main-stream” publication has come to realize the importance of the green movement and will be presenting its readers with green solutions, seals and info that they may not have found (or trusted) otherwise.

The Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval was initiated in 1909 and by the end of 1910, 200 products had earned the label. Today around 5,000 products have the seal! The new green seal has the same sleek look as the original, but is dark green in color and has leaves on either side.

There is so much “green labeling” going on and general misuse of the word “green” that people are becoming more aware, but also more cynical at times. I think this is a great move since consumers need more direct labeling to make better green choices. The Good Housekeeping brand name alone will give consumer’s confidence to trust that what they’re buying is eco-friendly and green.