Since no government standards define specific "eco" terms, companies can use words like "natural," "biodegradable" and "fragrance-free" to gain a marketing advantage, regardless of their accuracy. Don't be fooled by a label or name that sounds green but fails to deliver.

• Focus on energy: Given the need to reverse global warming, we need to do everything possible to use less energy. ClimateCounts.org ranks consumer companies for effectiveness in curbing climate change.

• Check for signal words: "Caution," "warning," "danger" and "poison" indicate the level of hazard a product poses, in that order. Always choose the least hazardous option.

• Tune in to specifics: A package composed of "50 percent recycled fiber" is a more reliable ecobuy than one vaguely marketed as "made from recycled paper."

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Excerpted from:

Big Green Purse by Diane MacEachern, © 2008 Penguin Group.