Evaluation Criteria
|
Ingredients
Green: 100% organic; no ingredients of concern.
Yellow: less than 100% organic and/or includes an ingredient of concern.
Red: no organic ingredients and/or includes multiple ingredients of concern.
Availability
Green: widely (more than one chain store or spread out over Toronto) available
Yellow: only available in one chain store group or in one or two pockets of the city
Red: only in a few stores
Packaging
Green: minimal packaging: reusable and refillable glass bottles.
Yellow: “the standard” for packaging in the industry: 1L and 2L cartons and 4L bags.
Red: excess or non-recyclable packaging: anything in excess of standard cartons and bags.
Disposability
Green: entire milk container can be recycled and/or put into green bin and/or reused
Yellow: some of the container can be recycled and/or put into green bin and/or reused
Red: none of the container can be recycled or put into green bin (includes all common iterations of the product’s packaging—i.e. if milk is available in bags)
Production Method
Green: organic production method with a commitment to reducing impact (includes offsetting, special care of cows, etc.)
Yellow: industry standard process
Red: production method that harms the environment more than the typical process, or that is excessively detrimental to the environment
Distance to Market
Green: source ingredients produced in the GTA or nearby in Ontario; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Yellow: source ingredients produced out of province; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Red: source ingredients produced in North America or farther; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Ingredients
Green: Organic, fair trade, and shade-grown (if coffee)
Light Green: Organic, or fair trade, or shade-grown (if coffee), or a combination of two out of the three characteristics.
Yellow: lacks formal certifications but special consideration of the environmental and social impact of growing coffee has been taken into account and steps taken to mitigate
Red: No certifications.
Production Method
Green: production method includes a commitment to reducing impact (shade growing, environmental preservation, etc.).
Yellow: non-organic process or unknown
Red: production method that harms the environment more than the typical process, or that is excessively detrimental to the environment
Packaging
Green: recyclable packaging made of recycled materials
Light Green: some, but not all, packaging may be recyclable
Yellow: “the standard” packaging (in the case of coffee, this is a non-recyclable package)
Red: excess packaging
Distance to Market
** Because all coffee is grown outside of Canada, we chose to rate roasting location, which at least has the potential to contribute to the local economy
Green: Ingredients roasted in the GTA
Yellow: Ingredients roasted within Canada
Red: Unknown roasting location
Availability
Green: In most major retail outlets and online.
Yellow: In select retail outlets and online.
Red: Only via producer and some specialty stores.
Disposability
Green: All packaging can be recycled
Yellow: Some packaging can be reused or recycled
Red: packaging cannot be recycled.
Beer, Wine and Spirits – Back to Top
Ingredients
Green: 100% organic; no ingredients of concern.
Yellow: less than 100% organic and/or includes an ingredient of concern (incl. sulfites)
Red: no organic ingredients and/or includes multiple ingredients of concern.
Availability
Green: LCBO, Beer Store if applicable, via winery/brewery, and online
Yellow: select LBCO or Beer Stores, via winery/brewery
Red: only via winery/brewery
Packaging
Green: bottles with a special eco-characteristic
Yellow: “the standard” bottle
Red: excess or non-recyclable packaging
Disposability
Green: bottles can be returned and have a special eco-characteristic
Yellow: bottles can be returned
Red: bottles cannot be returned
Production Method
Green: organic production method with a commitment to reducing impact (includes offsetting, Bullfrog powered, etc.)
Yellow: industry standard process
Red: production method that harms the environment more than the typical process, or that is excessively detrimental to the environment
Distance to Market
Green: source ingredients produced in the GTA or nearby in Ontario; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Yellow: source ingredients produced out of province; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Red: source ingredients produced in North America or farther; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Dishwashing Detergents – Back to Top
Ingredients
Green: No ingredients of concern.
Yellow: No identified ingredients of concern; contains an ingredient that could potentially be an irritant or allergen (unidentified)
Red: Contains an identified ingredient of concern.
Availability
Green: In most major retail outlets and online.
Yellow: In select retail outlets and online.
Red: Only via producer.
Packaging
Green: bottles with a special eco-characteristic (recycled plastic, recycled labels, etc.) and/or bulk sizes available.
Yellow: “the standard” recyclable bottle
Red: excess or non-recyclable packaging
Disposability
Green: bottles can be recycled and/or can be refilled via bulk-sized product. Product is identified as biodegradable.
Yellow: bottles can be recycled and/or can be refilled via bulk-sized product. Product does not identify as biodegradable.
Red: bottles cannot be recycled
Production Method
Green: production method includes a commitment to reducing impact (includes offsetting, Bullfrogpowered, Life Cycle Analysis, etc.) with solid results.
Yellow: industry standard process or unknown
Red: production method that harms the environment more than the typical process, or that is excessively detrimental to the environment
Distance to Market
Green: source ingredients produced in Ontario or neighbouring province; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Yellow: source ingredients produced within Canada; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Red: source ingredients produced in North America or farther; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Ingredients
Green: 100% organic; no ingredients of concern.
Light green: 100% organic feed but components of feed not specified. OR: feed is not certified organic but it is drug- and hormone-free.
Yellow: feed is not organic, but components of feed are specified and do not contain any ingredients of concern.
Red: no organic ingredients and feed components unknown.
Availability
Green: Widely at most grocery chain stores
Yellow: select chain stores or only a few locations
Red: only via one storefront
Packaging
Green: cartons made of recycled materials
Yellow: standard carton
Red: non-recyclable carton
Disposability
Green: recyclable and/or reusable
Red: non-recyclable
Production Method
Green: free-run, cage-free, or free-range eggs
Yellow: the words “free run” are not used but the description of the conditions sound similar to free run
Red: battery-caged hens produce the eggs, or conditions not specified
Distance to Market
Green: eggs laid in the GTA or nearby in Ontario; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Yellow: eggs laid out of province; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Red: eggs laid in North America or farther; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Ingredients
Green: 100% organic; fair trade ingredients; no ingredients of concern.
Light green: 100% organic but no fair trade ingredients; no ingredients of concern.
Yellow: Not organic but no ingredients of concern.
Orange: Not organic, no ingredients of concern, but ingredient that should be flagged
Red: No organic ingredients and contains ingredients of concern.
Availability
Green: Widely at most grocery chain stores
Yellow: select chain stores or only a few locations
Red: only via one storefront
Packaging
Green: cartons made of recycled materials
Yellow: standard carton
Red: non-recyclable carton
Disposability
Green: recyclable and/or reusable
Red: non-recyclable
Production Method
Green: efforts are made to mitigate environmental/social impact
Yellow: standard production method or not specified
Red: production method is more detrimental to the environment/people than standard method
Distance to Market
Green: produced in the GTA or nearby in Ontario; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Yellow: produced in Canada; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible OR distance unknown
Red: produced in North America or farther; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Ingredients
Light Green: CFLs because they contain mercury but it is a lower amounts than most regular lightbulbs.
Green: No ingredients of concern
Yellow: A manageable ingredient of concern (i.e. small amounts of mercury)
Red: Unmanageable ingredients of concern
Production Method
Light Green: Compnay has a sustainability report but don’t seem to go above and beyond compliance for production.
Green: efforts are made to mitigate environmental/social impact
Yellow: standard production method or not specified
Red: production method is more detrimental to the environment/people than standard method
Packaging
Green: made of recycled materials
Yellow: standard packaging
Red: non-recyclable packaging
Distance to Market
Green: produced in Ontario; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Yellow: produced in Canada; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible OR distance unknown
Red: produced in North America or farther; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Disposability
Green: recyclable and/or reusable
Red: non-recyclable
Availability
Green: Widely at most chain stores
Yellow: select chain stores or only a few locations
Red: only via one storefront
Ingredients
Green: 100% or almost 100% organic (i.e. two or fewer ingredients that are non-organic); no ingredients of concern.
Yellow: less than 100% organic but no ingredients of concern.
Red: No organic ingredients and contains ingredients of concern.
Production Method
Green: efforts are made to mitigate environmental/social impact
Yellow: standard production method or not specified
Red: production method is more detrimental to the environment/people than standard method
Packaging
Green: cartons made of recycled materials
Yellow: standard carton
Red: non-recyclable carton
Distance to Market
Green: produced in the GTA or nearby in Ontario; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Yellow: produced in Canada; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible OR distance unknown
Red: produced in North America or farther; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Disposability
Green: recyclable and/or reusable
Red: non-recyclable
Availability
Green: Widely at most grocery chain stores
Yellow: select chain stores or only a few locations
Red: only via one storefront
Ingredients
Green: 95-100% organic ingredients
Yellow: Less than 95% organic
Red: No organic ingredients
Production Method
Green: efforts are made to mitigate environmental/social impact
Yellow: standard production method or not specified
Red: production method is more detrimental to the environment/people than standard method
Packaging
Green: made of recycled materials
Light Green: most of package is made of recycled materials
Yellow: standard packaging
Red: non-recyclable packaging
Distance to Market
Green: produced in Ontario; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Yellow: produced in Canada; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible OR distance unknown
Red: produced in North America or farther; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Disposability
Green: entire package recyclable and/or reusable
Yellow: part of package recyclable and/or reusable
Red: non-recyclable
Availability
Green: Widely at most chain stores
Yellow: select chain stores or only a few locations
Red: only via one storefront
Hallowe’en Candy – Back to Top
Ingredients
Green: Organic or fair trade ingredients, with no ingredients of concern
Yellow: No ingredients of concern
Red: Neither organic nor fair trade; contains ingredient of concern
Production Method
Green: efforts are made to mitigate environmental/social impact
Yellow: standard production method or not specified
Red: production method is more detrimental to the environment/people than standard method
Packaging
Green: made of recycled materials
Yellow: standard packaging
Red: non-recyclable, excess packaging
Distance to Market
Green: produced in Ontario; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Yellow: produced in Canada; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible OR distance unknown
Red: produced in North America or farther; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Disposability
Green: entire package recyclable and/or reusable
Yellow: part of package recyclable and/or reusable
Red: non-recyclable
Availability
Green: Widely at most chain stores
Yellow: select chain stores or only a few locations
Red: only via one storefront or only online
Ingredients
Green: Organic ingredients, with no ingredients of concern
Yellow: No ingredients of concern
Red: Contains ingredient of concern
Production Method
Green: specific efforts are made to mitigate environmental/social impact
Light Green: efforts are made to mitigate environmental/social impact
Yellow: standard production method or not specified
Red: production method is more detrimental to the environment/people than standard method
Packaging
Green: made of recycled materials
Yellow: standard packaging
Red: non-recyclable, excess packaging
Distance to Market
Green: produced in Ontario; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Yellow: produced in Canada; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible OR distance unknown
Red: produced in North America or farther; manufacturing locations and supply chain taken into account where possible
Disposability
Green: entire package recyclable and/or reusable
Yellow: part of package recyclable and/or reusable
Red: non-recyclable
Availability
Green: Widely at most chain stores
Yellow: select chain stores or only a few locations
Red: only via one storefront or only online