Assessment Framework
Not all product categories are equal. Some have outsized impacts on your health or the environment. This framework identifies which products to assess first based on severity of harm and how easy it is to find better alternatives.
Table of Contents
Where Most Environmental Damage Occurs
Global environmental impact is concentrated in a few product categories and sectors. Understanding these priorities helps focus efforts where they matter most:
Highest Impact Product Categories
Ranked by: Severity of problem × Ease of finding alternatives. These are where your assessment efforts matter most.
Non-Stick Cookware (PFAS)
PFAS ("forever chemicals") in non-stick coatings are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, and immune suppression. They bioaccumulate and persist in the environment for millennia. Even "PFOA-free" often contains other PFAS.
Key Insight: Cast iron, stainless steel, or ceramic-coated (verify no PFAS). One easy swap eliminates decades of exposure.
Reusable Bottles with Plastic Lids/Seals
Glass or metal bottles are great, but the plastic lid is often the main source of microplastic ingestion. Silicone gaskets and plastic spouts degrade with heat and repeated use, releasing microplastics directly into your drink.
Key Insight: Switch to all-metal or glass lids. Stainless steel caps with no plastic gaskets exist.
Baby Products (Bottles, Toys, Mats)
Infants have higher exposure per body weight and developing systems. Plastic baby bottles can release millions of microplastics when heated. Foam play mats often contain formamide (toxic).
Key Insight: Glass bottles, natural rubber toys, cork/natural mats. Children are most vulnerable to chemical exposure.
Heating & Cooling Appliances
Some refrigerants (HFCs) are 1000-4000x more potent than CO₂ as greenhouse gases. One old AC unit leak can equal driving a car for 6 months. Inefficient appliances waste huge amounts of energy.
Key Insight: Proper disposal is critical. New units use less harmful refrigerants and are far more efficient.
Fast Fashion Textiles
Synthetic fabrics (polyester, nylon) shed 700,000 microplastic fibers per wash. Cotton uses 2,700 liters of water per shirt. Fast fashion has 52 "micro-seasons" encouraging disposability.
Key Insight: Each synthetic garment pollutes waterways for its entire life. Natural fibers or secondhand are far better.
Electronics & E-Waste
Smartphones have massive carbon footprints (60-80 kg CO₂e), use conflict minerals, and create toxic e-waste. Short upgrade cycles multiply the impact. Lithium mining devastates ecosystems.
Key Insight: Extending phone life by 1 year reduces lifetime impact by ~30%. Buy refurbished when possible.
Upholstered Furniture (Flame Retardants)
Most furniture contains brominated or organophosphate flame retardants linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, and developmental issues. These chemicals off-gas into your home for years.
Key Insight: Look for TB117-2013 compliant (allows no flame retardants) or naturally fire-resistant materials like wool.
Not All Emissions Are Equal
Different greenhouse gases have vastly different global warming potentials (GWP). CO₂ is the baseline (GWP = 1), but other gases are far more potent:
| Gas | GWP (100-year) | Common Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) | 1× | Fossil fuels, manufacturing, transport |
| Methane (CH₄) | 28-36× | Livestock, landfills, natural gas leaks |
| Nitrous Oxide (N₂O) | 265-298× | Fertilizers, industrial processes |
| HFCs (Refrigerants) | 1,000-4,000× | Air conditioning, refrigeration |
| SF₆ (Sulfur Hexafluoride) | 23,500× | Electrical equipment, some consumer products |
Implication: A small refrigerant leak can have more climate impact than years of driving. When assessing products, consider not just total CO₂e but the specific gases involved. Proper disposal of appliances with high-GWP refrigerants is critical.
Estimating Impact Without Detailed Data
Inspired by Mike Berners-Lee's "How Bad Are Bananas?", we use order-of-magnitude estimates when precise data isn't available. Getting the right ballpark is more useful than false precision.
Order of Magnitude Thinking
For carbon footprints, knowing whether something is 0.1 kg, 1 kg, 10 kg, or 100 kg CO₂e matters more than exact figures:
- • <1 kg CO₂e: A banana, a book, a bamboo toothbrush
- • 1-10 kg CO₂e: A pair of jeans, a stainless bottle
- • 10-100 kg CO₂e: A smartphone, a cast iron skillet
- • 100-1000 kg CO₂e: A laptop, a mattress
- • 1000+ kg CO₂e: A car, a refrigerator
Material-Based Estimates
When you don't have specific data, use material composition as a proxy:
- • Aluminum: ~10 kg CO₂e/kg (energy-intensive, but infinitely recyclable)
- • Steel: ~2 kg CO₂e/kg (highly recyclable)
- • Plastic: ~3-6 kg CO₂e/kg (varies by type, poor end-of-life)
- • Cotton: ~5 kg CO₂e/kg + 2,700 liters water per kg
- • Glass: ~1 kg CO₂e/kg (infinitely recyclable)
- • Wood/Bamboo: Often net-negative during growth phase
Acknowledging Uncertainty
We're honest about uncertainty. A rough estimate that's within 2-3× of reality is far more useful than no estimate at all. When data is sparse, we provide ranges and confidence levels. The goal is informed decision-making, not false precision.
Recyclability Penalties (Downcycling)
Not all recycling is equal. Materials that degrade during recycling or require energy similar to virgin production receive penalties:
| Material Type | Penalty | Reality |
|---|---|---|
| Metal (Steel, Aluminum) | 0% | Infinitely recyclable without quality loss |
| Glass | 0% | Infinitely recyclable, maintains purity |
| Paper/Cardboard | 10-30% | Fiber shortens each cycle (5-7 loops max) |
| Natural Fibers (Cotton) | 10-20% | Quality degrades; often better composted |
| Plastic (Single-type) | 50-70% | Polymer chains break down. PET bottles → fibers, not new bottles. |
| Plastic (Mixed) | 80-95% | Only ~5% of material value retained |
| Composites | 30-60% | Separation required, often energy-intensive |
Example: A product marketed as "70% recyclable" made of mixed plastics with a 0.85 penalty has an effective recyclability of only 10.5%. Marketing vs. reality.
Where to Start
Immediate Wins (High Impact, Easy Swaps)
- Replace non-stick cookware with cast iron or stainless steel
- Switch to all-metal water bottle caps (no plastic/silicone gaskets)
- Glass baby bottles instead of plastic
- Choose natural fiber clothing over synthetic
Longer-Term Focus
- When replacing furniture, seek flame-retardant-free options
- Extend electronics lifespan—repair over replace
- Ensure proper disposal of refrigerants from old appliances
- Buy secondhand when possible (clothing, furniture, electronics)
Research Sources
All sources, citations, and detailed references for this assessment framework are compiled on a comprehensive references page, which is maintained as a single authoritative source across all methodology sections.
View All Research Sources & References →Assessment Framework Philosophy: This framework prioritizes product categories and environmental impacts based on peer-reviewed research, global burden assessments, and scientific consensus. We focus on categories where individual consumer choices have the potential to create meaningful cumulative impact when multiplied across many people. The ranking reflects both the severity of harm and the practical ease of identifying and choosing better alternatives.