Have you ever stood in a store and wondered, “What does ‘USDA Certified Organic’ mean on that label?” As a follow up to our post on eco-friendly clothing labels, a friend pointed out a very handy iPhone app that demystifies labels on clothing, food, cleaning products, personal care items, and more. Very handy! Best of all, Label Lookup by SmartTools is free.

In the first 30 seconds playing with this app, we learned that the term “hypoallergenic” doesn’t really mean anything. There’s no third-party or government body that regulates it or verifies the claim. Good to know!

Mashable suggests 10 more iPhone apps to help you go green. What other mobile phone apps do you use to help you stay on the eco-path?

Shopping for eco-friendly products isn’t as easy as it should be. We’ve seen disposable diapers claim to be “natural” but what does that really mean? How about those “nontoxic” cleaning supplies or the patio set with the big “sustainable” sticker on it. What do these labels mean? Which ones show us the way to green products and which ones are just greenwashing so the manufacturer can charge you more?

Good Housekeeping has a quick rundown of 11 apparently eco-friendly labels. The cheat sheet is handy because terms such as natural, don’t mean the same based on the type of product, and some don’t really mean anything. Here is a sample from the list of labels you’ve likely seen, if not purchased:

Source: Good Housekeeping

Did you realize that “nontoxic” doesn’t have any actual regulatory definition? Neither does “sustainable.” Be an educated consumer and check out the full list.

Levi’s and Whirlpool did a bit of research and found that most American’s hold fast to a number of “laundry myths.” In their joint announcement yesterday, the companies found that most people believe:

1. The temperature of the water in the washing machine doesn’t impact the environment.
2. For best results, the washing machine must be full of water to really get the clothes clean.
3. You must wash your jeans after you’ve worn them even once.

As you can probably guess, none of these are actually true.

You should wash in cold as often as possible, take a look at the “Ido30″ movement to see what an impact this simple change can have.

New high-efficiency (HE) washing machines use up to 74 percent less water than conventional washers and do a great job of cleaning all types of fabric.

Jeans fade with each wash, so not only is it better for the environment for you to wear them a few times before tossing them into the laundry, your jeans will last longer–which is better for your wallet and the planet. Levi’s does suggest you turn them inside-out to fight fading.

But we did wonder, how often do you wash your jeans? Take our quick poll.

photo credit: mimk / flickr

Over in Europe there’s an energy-saving campaign underway to encourage everyone to wash their clothes at 30 degrees Celsius. I do 30 launched in June and has 12,500 Facebook fans. The group is hoping to persuade politicians to support the development of environmentally friendly products by presenting signatures from thousands of consumers. I do 30 was at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen and got the attention of some of the European Union’s leaders.

While the initiative is primarily for Europeans, we wondered what it would mean for the planet if America joined in the fun.

Let’s start off with just how cold is 30º C? It’s actually not that cold, it’s 86º F. From a quick check of popular brands, it appears that on a typical washing machine sold in America, cold is 65º, warm is 85 to 105º and hot can be up to 120º. So, while many of us can’t dial in the exact temperature, we can make an turn the dial to wash on cold. We even found a group of moms online who said that they not only saved money, but time too (less sorting), and their clothes were just as clean.

U.S. Department of Energy says that 90 percent of the energy used to wash our clothes comes from heating the water. So, if you simply wash the majority of your loads on cold in one year this small action will save 860 pounds of carbon dioxide. That adds up to 45 million tons of CO2. That’s the same as 7.5 million cars coming off the road in America.

As an added bonus, you’d save $60 to $100 a year.

Are you ready to say “I do 30″?

photo credit: ido30.org / Gareth Garvey

Perhaps you have a water-saver on your list and you’re not sure what to get her. Yes, we know, she probably bores you with facts about how much water is wasted with leaky pipes, how less than one half of one percent of the water on the planet is available for us to use, and how each day more than 4,000 children die each day from water-related disease, but you still love her.

Here are five gift ideas for the water conservationist in your family or circle of friends.

1. colorful, filtering, stainless steel water bottles

No wire hangers plastic water bottles! By now, you know that buying a fresh, virgin-plastic water bottle every time you’re thirsty is bad for the planet in so many ways. Outfit your family with the their own stainless steel water bottle this holiday. Take a look at the line up at Watergeeks. Not only are their stainless steel water bottles BPA-free, but they have a built in filter. The filters, which can actually be used with other water bottles too, remove chlorine, lead, heavy metals and other tap water contaminants. Each filter is good for 400 uses – that’s a lot of plastic water bottles that never have to be used. We love the wide variety of colors and sizes.

2. water barrels from recycled plastic

This is a bit big for under the tree, but…for the ultimate water-saver, how about a water barrel, made from recycled plastic, of course. Perfect for your favorite green gardener.

3. smart shower heads

Smarter shower is a gift that keeps on giving every day. We found a showerhead that’s smart enough to switch to a trickle once the water gets hot. Very handy if you’ve got to wait for hot water to find it’s way to the bathroom. Plus, saving just one minute’s worth of water each day conserves 900 gallons per person in a year.

4. a good read

A good book or two is always a nice gift. We uncovered a few well-reviewed titles out at Amazon that you might like. May we suggest you get the Kindle version, and then it’s a true eco-friendly gift.

• When the Rivers Run Dry by Fred Pearce looks at the looming crisis where water is more valuable than oil;
• Following the Water: A Hydromancer’s Notebook by David M. Carroll shows and tells his annual observations from the first breaks in the ice through its reforming in a New Hampshire wetland;
• and Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing. OK, so we’re a bit off topic, but this is a wonderful read and there’s certainly plenty of water in it!

5. a worthy cause

And the final suggestion for the ultimate conservationist: Make a donation in your friend’s name at one of the many worthy water-related charities. Here are a few to chose from: charity:water bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations, UNICEF’s Tap Project is gearing up for a 2010 program to provide safe drinking water for people in more than 90 countries, or find a group committed to keeping your local watershed, river, bay or other body of water clean and safe.

We’re sure one of these items is sure to be a hit. Of course, if you can think of others, feel free to leave your suggestion in the comments. Happy shopping!