I am writing this entry purposely for my students. I am teaching a class on environmental media and this week we have discussed how companies mislead us in buying something that is not really “natural” or “green.” I felt very bad today, because some of my students are actually changing their habits and when they showed up with an egg carton labeled ‘natural’ I had to tell them that there was really nothing natural about those eggs. This is frustrating for somebody who wants to change because we feel we cannot make a difference. I remember when I started getting into green stuff and I was determined to be conscious. So after extensively reading Pollan, Nestle, Wendell Berry, etc. I went to the grocery store Earth Fare and then Publix. I was with Shawn. For each item we had a conversation from 5-10 minutes on whether it was the ‘right’ choice to make. I mean we ended up getting in heated arguments over everything: from eggs to chocolate, to toilet paper. There was also the money factor. Do I spend $5 for something that I can get for $2. Moral of the story? We ended up buying maybe 10 items. I was so frustrating that I stopped buying, consuming, which is totally what green marketing is not about. As a consumer I was supposed to buy or give up and buy more.
I yet have to find a solution to my shopping habits – One solution has been to have my own organic garden. It provides control. I believe consumers want control, just not empowerment, but feel in control of their destiny. For me it was having my own garden because it allows me to control production, distribution and consumption of what I eat. Of course, I cannot produce toilet paper, pens, chocolate, etc. And of course there are times when I buy the conventional product because of convenience or money. We are not perfect, but we can take small steps.
Here few things everyone can do:
Buy Organics (USDA controls organic farming so you know that usda certified organic is real organic) USDA Organic food labeling
Organic certifications are expensive so you might still have businesses that are organic but just cannot label – Shop locally and ask questions. It’s your right to ask questions.
Read the labels- if a product lists for ingredients things you can hardly pronounce than that product is not really “natural.”
To identify GMOs products: Organic products code number start with a 9; GMOs usually start with a 4 or 3. So if the code is anything but 9, then it’s probably GMO.
Greenwise section at Publix for meat is not GMOs free (they don’t claim to be and when I asked they could not provide a definite answer, but they do not use hormones.
Cook your own meals. Stop eating out, or buying those frozen pizzas or dinner. Prioritize your life. Make it fun. For example Publix sells pizza dough. It literally only takes 20 minutes to prepare a pizza. It takes Dominos’ 45 minutes to deliver a pizza and it’s more expensive. Also cooking at home saves money. A lot of money.
Make cooking a fun habit like shopping for shoes. Cooking is enjoyable.
You might think eating healthy is expensive. That depends. Ask yourself how much food you waste by getting that “buying one get another free.” You are wasting time, food and money. You could help decrease hunger with that salad that sat on your refrigerator for a month because you got it for free. Eat less, but well. You really don’t need that extra soda or extra free burger. You don’t. Your belly does not either. It is that easy.
Pollan provides rules to follow when planning a meal on the Omnivore’s Dilemma (2006). Check it out it’s on page 392.
Are natural products natural? Most likely not. According to the USDA, ”
1. Are natural and organic foods the same?
No. The term “natural” is not regulated except for meat and poultry. It applies
broadly to foods that are minimally processed and free of synthetic
preservatives; artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors and other artificial additives;
hydrogenated oils; stabilizers; and emulsifiers. Most foods labeled
natural are not subject to government controls beyond the regulations and
heath codes that apply to all foods” (“Natural and Organic Food,” 2011)
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