Green Guide

Amy Baczkowski
GoodGuideLarge2.jpg

Barcodes are no longer just for tracking inventory thanks to the new GoodGuide iPhone app. They now assist in bringing health, environmental, and social responsibility ratings of over 50,000 products directly to your iphone.  Users of the app take a picture of a product's barcode with the camera of an iPod or iPhone and receive instant green ratings.

The database of food, chemical, toy, and personal product ratings continues to expand each month. With this free app, GoodGuide hopes to create a public service that motivates consumers and manufacturers to make better, more sustainable choices.

 

Images from GoodGuide.com

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Comments

the technofix

Submitted by emanresu.resa on Thu, 12/03/2009 - 22:08.
What happens when you use the iphone to take a picture of the iphone bar code? Does the app say "This product is terribly un-green because it contains coltan, plastics, and apple-ness?" The collateral damage from coltan mining, petroleum extraction and processing, and the Apple Superiority Complex must surely be accounted for. How can 'green' ever be achieved by using more of the same technologies that aggravate the global ecological crisis? Critical fucking thinking, boys and girls!

Innovative

Submitted by Lightfiend on Fri, 12/04/2009 - 01:31.

As far as health and social responsibilities are concerned its a fairly innovative idea. Who knows - it could end up making a significant impact in the green movement too. People love their iphones so I think its an effective way to send a positive message, whatever it may be.

 

http://www.theemotionmachine.com

Country of Origin

Submitted by Leon Night on Fri, 12/04/2009 - 07:54.

The first three digits of a barcode indicate the country of origin. This is useful if you wish to (or not to) purchase goods from a specific country.

00 ~ 13 USA & CANADA

30 ~ 37 France 4

0 ~ 44  Germany

49        Japan

50        UK

57        Denmark

64        Finland

76        Switzerland and Liechtenstein

471      Taiwan

480 ~ 489 Philippines

628     Saudi-Arabia

629     United Arab Emirates

690 ~ 695 China

740 ~ 745 Central America

...Just thought it was somewhat on topic and could be useful to some.