Don't Be Greenwashed

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It’s becoming a growing pet peeve of mine that a lot of companies seem to practice this sleight of hand technique with their products, leading their consumers to believe that they are getting something completely different. Using words like “natural” or “green” without anything to back it up is what I call greenwashing. To help others avoid being duped by labels, here are a few things you need to know.

1.    Organic. If you see the USDA’s organic label on a product this means the product was not cultivated using conventional methods of pesticides and other nasty chemicals. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean your food hasn’t come in contact with GMOs.

2.     Natural. There is no formal FDA definition.  However FDA follows a policy that the term natural cannot be used in the ingredient list (except as “natural flavorings”).  It may not contain preservatives and is minimally processed but it can have antibiotics and growth hormones (yummy! Insert eyeroll).

3.     GMO-Free.  I’ve talked about GMO’s before and chances are you have heard about Monsanto in the news. Genetically-altered food is becoming increasingly part of the norm in the US and thanks to a shitty ruling funded by Monsanto lobbyists, the American public has no way of knowing if there are GMOs in their food unless it has a label backed by this project. FYI, because FDA refuses to regulate GMOs it is completely possible that something labeled organic has been altered with GMOs. Another reason to stay clear of processed food in general. 

4.    Cage-free. Another label that is not well-regulated, cage-free implies that the chickens are not kept in cages but rather open floor layouts inside a barn. They still live in extremely close quarters with other hens however they have access to bedding, perches and nest boxes.

5.    Free-Range. Hens are allowed to move freely and have access to both a barn and outdoor yard. I prefer to spend the extra dollar or two to buy organic free-range eggs from a particular local farm because I know the chickens are pampered and healthy. I know I have said it before but I always encourage folks to know where your food comes from!

That’s it for now! I hope you found some of this information helpful and if so please feel free to share with others. I think in the end it’s important to always be aware of what you are actually reading when you look at a label. It’s disappointing that it can be quite misleading sometimes however if things are ever going to change we the consumers need to be educated so spread the word!