Environmentally friendly (also eco-friendly, nature friendly, and green) are synonyms used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment. To make consumers aware, environmentally friendly goods and services often are marked with eco-labels. But because there is no single international standard for this concept, the International Organization for Standardization considers such labels too vague to be meaningful.
Methods:
Renewable clean power
There are several environmentally friendly, relatively non-polluting means of generating electricity; namely geothermal power, hydro power, wind power, solar power, tidal power and wave power. However, whether or not one of these causes significant pollution, there are other considerations that need to be taken into account when deciding if a generation source is environmentally friendly. Among these are: How much water does a given method use and take out of the fresh water resources of (a nation, a region, etc.)? How much land, especially agricultural land, is compromised or used up in this method? How much wildlife habitat is compromised or used up? Are traditional uses affected for local indigenous peoples? What is the footprint of the generating plant? What is the footprint of the distribution/transmission method?
Green cleaning
Some people claim that many of the chemicals inside of domestic and commercial cleaning products used cause harm and damage to the environment and humans through production, use or disposal of those products. While this is a disputed statement it is generally held that natural products and cleaners are of a better benefit for the environment and safer for those who use and are exposed to them which has led to Green cleaning products being developed.There is however controversy over the exact definition of green for such cleaners and solvents which has resulted in many companies marketing products as environmentally friendly or green which may not meet some of the basic guidelines for eco-friendly products such as containing high amounts of artificial chemicals. It is these products which are marketed as being environmentally friendly, eco-friendly or green when they do not meet the general guidelines of a green product which results in Greenwashing; changing the image of a product to make it appeal to environmentally minded consumers when in fact the product is not produced, used or able to be disposed in an environmentally friendly manner.
Green Clothing
A recent trend has emerged supporting the production of environmentally friendly clothing, such as those made out of organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, or recycled materials. Organic clothing is the least expensive of these options, and so far the most popular.
Pest control
Integrated pest management is regarded as a more environmentally friendly form of pest control than traditional pesticides, as its goal is to reduce pesticide use to a minimum by using a variety of less impactive means, with pesticides only as the last resort. Biological pest control is another form of control considered by many experts to be environmentally friendly.
Waste management
Recycling and composting are viewed as more environmentally friendly forms of waste management than traditional burying or burning practices.