Published by Barbara December 31st, 2007
in Resources, Marketing, Action, Consumer and Green.
…in this case it stands for Bring Your Own Bag, a campaign by the New American Dream, and part of their Buy Wisely page of online resources that promote conscious consuming. (And while you’re at it, go ahead and fill that bag with organic food — just do it thoughtfully.)
Here you’ll find choices that protect the environment and the well-being of people at the other end of the production line. We make it easier for everyone to be a positive force in the marketplace. What you buy (or don’t buy) matters — Buy Wisely
There’s plenty of room to discuss if adjustments to everyday habits are going to mean global change or if they just make us feel better. And there’s so many complex ways to answer on either side of the question that it makes my head spin.
But I no longer have any questions about whether adjusting my own spending habits will effect change. It’s pretty clear that when I stay out of the stores — that is, don’t engage in conspicuous consumption — big changes start to happen on a personal level.
And if one hundred other people stop shopping as recreation (sport-shopping?) and another hundred after that, someone is going to notice. And in the meantime we all might do radical things like establish savings accounts and add to them on a regular basis. Another worthwhile habit.
The Center for the New American Dream also runs the Responsible Purchasing Network that provides a series of guides. Sadly, membership is required, and starts at $50 for student/individual. Membership does have it’s privileges though, and they can be seen here.
For more on how others are handling their end to consumerism on a personal level, and not doing it alone, GOOD Magazine published this article about The Compact.
…as illustrated by these points from the letter below:
- Scientists at the US Food and Drug Administration warned that gene-spliced foods might lead to allergies, toxins, new diseases and nutritional problems
- When 25 per cent of US corn farmers planted GE varieties, corn sales to the European Union dropped by 99.4 per cent, all corn farmers suffered as prices fell by 13 to 20 per cent
- In North America a growing number of doctors are prescribing a non-GE diet
- Next year, the US natural food industry will remove all remaining GE ingredients
Continue reading ‘There’s abundant evidence…’
Maybe not what it purports to be when it’s from Aurora: the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that from 2003 through 2006 Aurora Organic Dairy willfully violated the federal requirements for organic milk production by illegally failing to provide pasture, and by selling milk from cows that were not fully under organic management. The milk was sold under the Aurora brand: High Meadows. It also packages the majority of all private label organic milk and butter in the country for supermarkets such as Safeway, Costco, WalMart, Target and Wild Oats.
“Don’t let one bad actor ruin your support for organic agriculture! By holding Aurora accountable for its terrible behavior, we put other companies on notice that we will not accept any violations of the organic standards. Together we can support the hard working farmers who are dedicated to the integrity of the organic label.” — Center For Food Safety
Continue reading ‘What’s Organic Milk?’
Published by Barbara September 12th, 2007
in Marketing, Action, Consumer, Labels and Organic.
“…maybe am finally beginning to win the battle against my inner evil-american (actually less of a battle than huddled in a corner with hands protecting my head)…”
Though I live in a house that costs less than $500 a month and drive a soon-to-be fourteen year-old car — I am still a consumer. And so do many things that cause ongoing pangs of conscience. For example, I still:
- eat meat from animals grown in factory farms
- buy produce shipped from other countries
- drive more than I walk or bike
- shop at big box stores (tho’ less and less, see Core Values)
- use plastic bags and bleached paper products
- pay money for things Made In China
Continue reading ‘Start Small (or, Mad in China)’
An article published this Sunday in the Regional section of the New York Times titled “In Pursuit of Farm Fresh Flavor” by Kim Severson did a lot to restore my faith in — well — human cognitive functioning (yes, it’s been that bad). But on a smaller scale, my faith in the mainstream media is also somewhat repaired.
Full text of the New York Times article has been made available online by a number of sites including [this one].
“All over the tristate area, the church of local food is growing at rates that have farmers, serious cooks and even the most casual farm stand shoppers in awe.”
–In Pursuit of Farm Fresh Flavor
Continue reading ‘They Get It!’
