Fairtrade, Organic or Locally Produced Food?

Free Articles » Food-and-drink » Fairtrade, Organic or Locally Produced Food?

Autor: greendave :: Views: 1044 :: :: View PDF :: Print View

Should I buy food and products that support workers in Third World by buying Fairtrade labelled products even though these goods normally travel thousands of miles from Africa, South America or South East Asia? What if these foods were produced with the use of pesticides and additives? It makes sense then to look for and to buy Fairtrade, organic food to both help the producers in the Third World and fulfil my lifestyle choice to eat healthy and additive/pesticide free food. Thankfully, many producers are now wising up to this dilemma by increasingly producing organic and Fairtrade labelled products. I am currently using Fairtrade, organic t-bags at home! Now comes another important question, should I buy Fairly Traded organic sugar from Kenya that has travelled thousands of miles, or should I buy apples grown in the UK (ideally from a farmers market) that have only travelled only a few hundred miles which means less carbon dioxide and other nasty emissions from the lorries that you see constantly on the motorways in the UK? Buying UK products not only ensures less food miles but also supports local farmers, communities and economies. Unfortunately, choice is often limited and can be more expensive then food produced in other countries--- Decisions, decisions, it's probably best to abstain from eating and give your choice making brain a rest!

But I can safely say that I make attempts to avoid food or products that have travelled from far away destinations such as Australia even if they are organic! Next time you are in the supermarket or wherever you buy your food from check the labels and you will be surprised by how far your food has travelled. Also look at the amount of unnecessary wrapping such as individually wrapped peppers, mushrooms and kiwi fruit in wrapped boxes. When I buy from the local market I tell them to throw it all into one bag, the customer next to me often has 10 individually wrapped portions of fruit and veg. That's 11 (10 plus one big plastic bag) bags into the landfill site that day. For maximum eco efficiency we need to be using jute or other bags made from recycled materials and putting all the loose food into that.

For recycled bags, Fairtrade and Organic companies, products and food see GuideMeGreen.com

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Davinos Greeno works for the fairtrade food and ethical clothes directory that lists 100s of Organic and Ethical Companies and we also have Health Articles for you to read or publish. No comments posted.

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What is Organic and Fairtrade Olive Oil?

Free Articles » Food-and-drink » What is Organic and Fairtrade Olive Oil?

Autor: greendave :: Views: 1288 :: :: View PDF :: Print View

Organic olives are used in the production and many people say that the taste is superior to non organic olive oil. Olives are typically grown in the Mediterranean, with its hot dry summers and cool winters it is the ideal habitat of the olive tree. Olive oil is the oil obtained from the fruit of the olive tree in a mechanical manner. The liquid is pressed out of the olives. Organic olive oils are often picked and crushed by large stone rollers without the use of any mechanical machinery or unnatural processes. Expensive virgin oil is sometimes labelled in a way that you can trace exactly where the oil has come from. The bottle and tin can be numbered and this enables the buyer to identify from which trees the olive oil of each individual container came from.

As well as organic oil, fairtrade oil is increasingly available. The Fairtrade principal involves democratic organisation where producers have maximum control over their land and are often formed into co-operatives. Trade Unions are allowed, no child labour is used in the production and a decent wage is paid to the workers that pick the olives and produce the oil. The Fairtrade Mark means that a social premium is paid on the product which doesnt go to the individuals, it goes to the organisation or communities for development projects such as health, education and sanitation.

One producer of Fairtrade Organic Olive Oil is Zaytoun

Zaytoun is the UKs first volunteer non-profit project to import fair trade palestinian organic olive oil to the UK.

The oil is imported from farmers worse hit by the current political crisis in Palestine.

The agricultural economy, which is one of the major arteries of the Palestinian economy, has been significantly damaged due to the continuing conflict with Isreal.

65% of Palestinian families live in rural areas and are connected to agriculture in some form.

Rural livelihoods have been desimated through the confiscation of land, uprooting of trees, controlling of water sources, denying access to land and the lack of access to markets in Isreal and abroad.

Zaytoun attempts to seek a practical means of assisting the Palestinian People by providing consumers with something we use at least once a week, cooking oil!

Did you know that you can also buy olive based beauty care products such as soap? Olives have long since been known to hold the secret of youthful vitality.

Buy Zaytoun Fairtrade oil at http://zaytoun.org/

Find other organic and fairtrade cooking and beauty products on the authors websites.

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Davinos Greeno works for the fairtrade food and ethical clothes directory that lists 100s of Organic and Ethical Companies and we also have Health Articles for you to read or publish. No comments posted.

View the original article here

Is Organic Food & Organic Farming the Future?

Free Articles » Food-and-drink » Is Organic Food & Organic Farming the Future?

Autor: greendave :: Views: 1480 :: :: View PDF :: Print View

Businesses such as GuideMeGreen green directory and the co-op offer a real alternative for people concerned with these issues and with businesses that combine a strong ethical dimension in tandem with making profits.
Here are some of the main features of organic farming:
? Organic farming severely restricts the use of artificial chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
? Instead, organic farmers rely on developing a healthy, fertile soil and growing a mixture of crops.
? Animals are reared without the routine use of drugs, antibiotics and wormers common in intensive livestock farming.

Synthetic dyes and ingredients such as Sudan1 were in the national news in February and can cause cancer. See www.food.gov.uk for further details. Genetically modified (GM) crops and ingredients are not allowed under organic standards.

Why Buy Organic?

It has never been easier to shop for organic food, and there has never been so much choice. Every food category now has an organic alternative. Its also common sense; organic food is good food. Good to eat, good for the environment, good for the small-scale farmers and the farm workers who produce it.

Chefs across the country are committed to using organic ingredients because plants from healthy soils and organically fed livestock provide us with more flavorful food. Organic foods allow true flavour to shine through unlike other non-organic foods that look and taste good but are often full of E numbers and artificial flavourings and ingredients.

By supporting local, sustainable and organic farms in your local community you also support the larger community of which we are all a part. By eating organic food you are providing the healthiest choice for your family and supporting the farms that provide us with healthy and ecological neighbourhoods.

The 'go local' food movement is flourishing - over 15% of people buy organic food locally and this number continues to rise as the number of farmer's markets, box schemes, cafes and restaurants serving organic food increase. GuideMeGreen helps you to find locally produced foods which are fresher, healthier and more economical. It cuts down on transport costs and 'food miles' where an average shopping basket can include fruit and vegetables transported from all over the world.

The big supermarkets in the UK are about to introduce there own vegetable box schemes. This is good because the supermarket schemes should encourage more people to buy organic food and are likely to raise the profile and public awareness of the benefits of organic box schemes in general. These new organic consumers will hopefully become convinced of the benefits of organic food and become more interested in and aware of the advantages of buying local too. The supermarket schemes could therefore be a positive first step on people's journey to buying organic, local food generally and perhaps moving on to subscribe to independent box scheme businesses - as well as supporting other local food outlets like farmers' markets or independent retailers.

The supermarkets themselves may find their businesses becoming subject to more far-reaching changes, as their customers are exposed to the principles and practices which inspire the original local food and grassroots box-scheme movement.

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Davinos Greeno works for the fairtrade food and ethical clothes directory that lists 100s of Organic and Ethical Companies and we also have Health Articles for you to read or publish. No comments posted.

View the original article here