So what exactly is the “Red List”?
Red List items are materials composed of harmful chemicals that have a negative impact on living things. So many of these items have been, or are still being used in everyday human activities. Although many of these Red List items have been banned in certain nations (asbestos based materials) many of these items are still used daily in almost every first-world nation around the world.
PVC, for example, is mandatory in some municipalities in building codes (ex: DB2 PVC piping to run underground hydro cables).
Although the “red list” is not new to sustainable living, it is something that should never be forgotten in minds of sustainable individuals, entrepreneurs and green activists.
When at the Globe 2014 conference in Vancouver, Google‘s red list for future buildings was brought up and praised by some of the world’s top environmentalists.
See Red List Below:
- Asbestos
- Cadmium
- Chlorinated Polyethylene and Chlorosulfonated Polyethlene43
- Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
- Chloroprene (Neoprene)
- Formaldehyde (added)
- Halogenated Flame Retardants44
- Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
- Lead (added)
- Mercury
- Petrochemical Fertilizers and Pesticides45
- Phthalates
- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
- Wood treatments containing Creosote, Arsenic or Pentachlorophenol
Leaders in a sustainable lifestyle such as Google have adopted a business practice of being innovators and trendsetters in being environmentally conscious and spearheading the way for a better way of living for generations to come.
Some of Google’s operations can be seen at google.ca/green/efficiency/oncampus
Eliminating all these products would not be feasible