Tag Archives: EWG

Sep3

Your Very Own Organic Shopping Guide

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Hey all, here’s a quick, organic post that I hope you’ll enjoy! I recently wrote a newsletter for LolaBee’s that is very similar to this post, and I wanted to share. You can see the full version of the article on the LolaBee’s website on their Community Blog.

Here it goes …

The 411 on:

Organic Shopping

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recognizes 4 different categories of organic labels, and it’s important to know which is which.

Below is your very own organic label guide!

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And there’s more …

Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.  Organic produce means that the produce was grown without synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified seeds (GMOs), or use of sewage sludge.

And lastly, organic is not a nutritional or health claim. “Organic” refers to agricultural production methods that meet certain criteria.  In general, organic production methods are sustainable, practice ecological-based management that promotes biodiversity, reduce dependence from off-farm inputs, and emphasize soil and water conservation– however, these practices are much more likely when practiced by local, organic, small farms as opposed to conventional, organic, large farms.

Also, something else to add to your organic shopping guide, the clean 15 and dirty dozen!!!!

Visit my old post, How to Shop Pesticide Smart to learn more.

(click picture to print)

So, I leave you with this, support your local farmers! Visit farmers markets and … 

Happy Organic Shopping!

Apr19

The “Dirty Dozen” is still Buzzin’

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To add to my earlier post, “How to Shop Pesticide Smart,” I wanted to share a few more toxic tips.

#1. 5 servings of conventionally grown fruits and veggies from the “Dirty Dozen” list is equal to you consuming an average of 14 different pesticides a day.

#2. By picking 5 servings from the “Clean 15” list you’ll intake fewer than 2 pesticides per day!

#3. If you choose 5 servings of conventionally grown produce from the “Clean 15” list rather than from the “Dirty Dozen” list you can potentially lower the volume of pesticides you consume by 92%.

#4. Lastly, always eat your fruits and vegetables! The health benefits from eating fruits and veggies outweigh the risks of commercial pesticide exposure. However, buy organically when you can!

But what does “organic” really mean???

The United States Department of Agriculture National Organic Program certifies food “organic” if and only if the food is produced without synthetic fertilizers or other chemicals, genetic engineering, radiation, or sewage sludge.

Sewage sludge?? Ummm….Yuck!

I think the next question on your mind is… “why should we be concerned with pesticides and their toxicity???”

Come back tomorrow to find out!

P.S. Want the EWG’s “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15″ on hand at all times? There’s an App for that?? It’s Free! Search “Dirty Dozen” in the App Store.

Apr18

How to Shop Pesticide Smart

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Here’s a little Toxic Fun…

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit organization, uses the power of public info to protect and preserve public health and the environment. In other words, they share scientific-based information with the public in order to make a difference!

Something I LOVE and use every time I go grocery shopping is their “EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.“

The “Dirty Dozen” represents the fruits and veggies with the most pesticide residues. Unfortunately, some of my favorite fruits, like strawberries, are on the dirty list.

So…. what would someone like me do??  The EWG suggests that if you have the money, you should try to buy the “Dirty Dozen” organically.

On the other hand, the “Clean Fifteen” are the least contaminated. Ergo, this gives shoppers a fun and easy way to decide when to save money and when to splurge and buy organically.

And guess what??? I have an app for that!

Stay Tuned! More toxic information about pesticides will be discussed in a later post.