I am not an environmentalist and I do not demonstrate or wail at the oil industry or auto industry or others. But I have started to change my behavior about being green.

With all of the coverage and concern over environmentally safe products , green cookware and kitchen products have been on the rise in the market today and we have added some of these into our product mix and will be focusing more on these in the future.

It seems that we as consumers are willing to pay a little more for green products and are becoming more conscious that small efforts can have enormous impact. Certainly there is a lot of discussion about gas consumption for autos and a lot has been written on energy conservation or alternative sources. But as small example which has more near term implications and is probably a better indicator of change, I see more people bringing their reusable cloth shopping bags to the store reducing the use of paper or plastic.

The World Wildlife Fund reported that the human race is using resources faster than the planet can support it. Many scientists observe that we will be facing a future demanding better management of the things we throw away, increased use of recycled materials, better understanding of the risks around old batteries, TVs, cell phones, computers and so on, and increasing reuse or recycling of materials and products and the chemicals and components of these products. What change this will have on our behaviors is not yet fully understood.

The fact of the matter is that consumers are realizing they must request and purchase green products to do their part in the grand scheme of things. As consumer behavior changes, companies have delivered. Many companies are producing safer and more planet friendly products to help lessen these effects on the world and in our backyards. New non-stick coatings are now being used that do not contain harmful chemicals and some are even made from recycled materials.

This is in part due to our economy. Companies are struggling get their portion of our dollars when we go shopping for groceries and materials for homes. We hold the power by what we choose to buy to dictate what the industry produces by buying these green products. This forces the industry leaders into changing their product lines and providing better alternatives to current choices in cookware, stove tops, utensils and the food we eat.

This has been called ‘green commercialism’ by many economists. Like anything else in our society, the majority dictates what the market will produce. So as we, as consumers, demand green products more and more companies will have to provide them; basic supply and demand.

Green kitchen products also include cleaners, disinfectants, and even the cleaning pads we use. It is important to know which companies offer these products and which are truly green and not just an advertising ploy. With a small amount of research any consumer can find reliable retailers and manufacturers that provide green and environmentally friendly products.

At its core, this issue is here to stay indefinitely. As individuals are choices are important and in combination with others we can revise the practices and business models of companies which in turn will help reduce the negative impact we are having on our Earth.

Remember it is all up to us!