<a href="http://natureofcollege.org/?attachment_id=765" rel="attachment wp-att-765"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-765" title="Ikea logo" src="http://natureofcollege.org/wp-content/uploads/Ikea-logo.jpg" alt="" width="257" height="196" /></a>Students buy a lot of shelves and desks and furniture at Ikea, and now they can get more for their money, because Ikea is introducing a product scorecard evaluating on 11 different stages of the product chain. The evaluation includes:

1. Less material
2. Renewable materials
3. Recycled materials
4. Environmentally better materials
5. Separable and recyclable
6. Quality
7. Transport efficient
8. Energy-efficient production
9. Renewable energy in production
10. Raw material
11. Ensuring that products help customers to reduce energy, water or waste in their homes

As more and more companies follow Ikea's lead, ordinary consumption can become both more conscientious and more sustainable. And that's a good deal.