Picture this: You're running late one evening and decide to hit a drive-thru on the way to the dry cleaners on the way home from work.  As you drive away from the restaurant you peel back the wrapper on a greasy cheeseburger.  You gatch a glimpse of the sandwich in the light of a streetlamp.  It's a glistening, grey, thin slab of ground beef smothered in salt and cheese in a sad attempt to mask the fact that you are about to bite into a low-grade glob of meat that's best chased down with a shot of Pepto Bismol.  For all you know that's ground-up poodle in that burger but you eat it anyway, even though you know you'll regret it later. 

Got that picture in your mind?  Good.  The gelatinous grey beef in that fictional burger is the exact opposite of what you'll find at Hoven Farms, an organic beef producer located in Calgary, Alberta Canada.

No antibiotics.  No growth hormones.  Hoven Farms' cattle are happy cattle who graze on certified organic pastures and dine on certified organic feeds that are free from animal byproducts.  Want proof?  Visit their web site and watch video and slideshows of the cattle strolling around the pasture munching on grass.

This is a family farm.  Three generations of Hovens work here.  These are people with a legacy, who are using sustainable farming practices so their farm will be viable to future generations.  These are people who care about the cattle they raise and care about the quality of the food they are producing.

We live in an era of faceless factory farms.  Noone knows where their food comes from anymore.  Most of us put more effort into selecting a hair stylist than we do into choosing who supplies food to our families. 

There is an assurance in knowing where your food comes from; in knowing it came from clean and hygenic conditions.  There is a comfort in buying food that comes from your community, and in knowing that your grocery dollars are supporting local businesses with sustainable, environmentally responsible practices.

Hoven Farms is just one example of family farms all over North America that are going the extra mile to deliver high-quality organic beef to local farmers markets, grocery stores and home delivery services. 

Hit the jump for more information about Hoven Farms and where you can find their excellent locally-produced organic beef.  They have photos, videos, price sheets and online ordering for those of you that live near the Calgary area.

» Hoven Farms

Funny how so often we treat ourselves differently than others, isn’t it?

Picture the scene: you’re sitting down to a family dinner. Everyone’s enjoying some pizza and your loyal dog Fluffy waits at your feet for some scraps to come her way. Feeling guilty you offer her a pizza crust before being scolded by your significant other, “You can’t feed Fluffy pizza crust! She’s fat enough already!”

Quite a scene, isn’t it? So it’s okay to put that garbage into your own mouth but you can’t feed it to your dog? How does that make sense?

The answer is simple: it’s guilt. A rational person in the above scenario would push away from the table and say, “You’re right! This pizza isn’t fit for a dog so I won’t eat it either!” But that’s not what happens in real-life with real emotional people. We either share our pizza with the dog and feel guilty afterward or we simply feel too guilty to share at all.

For many of us with an “eco” mindset guilt can be a powerful driving emotion that causes us to change the way we act and live. For example, some people recycle because they’d feel guilty if they threw their recyclables in the trash. Guilt is also a powerful marketing tool and many of us are affected.

I don’t live in one of the meccas of natural and organic foods like Southern California. Nope, I live smack-dab in the middle of nowhere in Calgary, Alberta Canada. I have four chain grocery stores within a few minutes of my house, but to find any selection of organic foods I have to crisscross to the other side of the city.

Recently I took my family and made the trek across town to Planet Organic, a nice little grocery store with the amenities you’d expect. There was new world music and the slight aroma of incense, pot and body odour. There was shelf after shelf of packaged preserved products with pictures of rainforests, globes and cute animals on them. There was a deli full of vegan selections and a tiny produce section at the front of the store. And smack-dab in the middle of the store was a large alternative health and beauty section full of herbal remedies and expensive imported concoctions.

This was it- guilt central. The place where picking the right bag of coffee beans means you can feel good about preventing rainforest destruction, saving wildlife, or supporting fair trade practices. The products are more or less the same - and notice I say ‘products’ not foods – as what you’d find in any regular grocery store. There is just as much packaging, just as much waste. The biggest difference is that in a store like this every product screams out at you that a percentage of its packaging is recycled, that is supports some kind of beneficial program.

Strolling through a store like Planet Organic it is obvious that they are not trying to sell food, or even food products. What they are selling are indulgences. Guilt-free passes to buy whatever you want. The more you consume the more good you’re doing... right?!

Don’t get me wrong. I went to that store specifically because I wanted to purchase some fresh, organic, locally-produced food for my family. But what I learned all too quickly is that there is a premium that must be paid when you’re trying to buy a lifestyle. The prices on almost every single item were borderline insane.  I mean, the prices were high enough that it was almost cause for laughter. “Can you believe what they’re charging for a can of beans! This is hilarious!” And almost all of the products were imported from far, far away. Hardly 100-mile diet material.

I did end up buying a few things at the store, but I ended up feeling a different kind of guilt as I left the store and examined my receipt.

Quality and price are supposed to be the two criteria for selecting food. Foods are simple, whole and contain very few ingredients. Replacing the word “glucose” with “organic evaporated cane juice” and sticking a picture of a gorilla on the front of the box makes people feel good. It’s good marketing and it alleviates the buyer’s conscience of guilt and their checking account of money.

Ask yourself – are you buying these items out of guilt? Do you truly believe that the premium you’re paying on every grocery item is fulfilling the promises on the packaging? Are the words ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ really anything more that marketing buzzwords designed to compel you to buy?

These thoughts crossed my mind as I stood by a refrigerator in the store. In my hand I held a shrink wrapped roaster chicken on a Styrofoam tray - organic, local, free range. I held it in one hand. It was without a doubt the smallest chicken I’ve ever seen in my life and it was over $26. The decision was obvious. I put the chicken back.

» Planet Organic

Most of us like to think of ourselves as smart consumers, especially when it comes to items we purchase regularly like groceries.  But are we really as smart as we think we are?  Fact is, most of us receive our ‘education’ as consumers through marketing channels.  Marketing – an activity with the sole purpose of convincing us to make purchase decisions – is hardly the place to look for real data to drive our consumer choices.

For example, let’s take a look at a food item most of us are familiar with: the ever-popular apple.  How do you choose which apple to buy?  Let’s take a look at five of the factors that contribute to this apparently simple decision.

1. Apparent Quality
You pick up two apples.  One is big and bright red, shining under the fluorescent lights of the store.  The other is small, greenish and has a dimple on it where a caterpillar took a sample before it made its way to the market.  Which one will you choose?  Simply inspecting the outside seems to give an indication of quality, but let’s face it – you don’t really know if the big apple is tastier or more nutritious than the little one - it simply looks like the better apple.

2. Origin
This time, you select two identical looking apples.  One was shipped from the other side of the country and one came from the neighboring state.  The “eat local” rule of eco-conscious shopping dictates that you should buy the apple that came from the orchard closest to your home.  But is it the best apple?

3. Value
Price is a deciding factor as well.  If you have two apples that appear to be of identical quality but one is cheaper than the other, logic dictates you buy the cheaper one.  If your choice is between buying one pound of premium-appearance apples or five pounds of mediocre-looking ones, frugality might persuade you to get what seems like more bang for your buck.

4. Variety / Brand Preference
You may have a personal preference for a specific variety of apple because you like it’s texture and flavor more than others you’ve tried, so you always pick up a couple of Fuji apples when you shop regardless of their apparent quality compared to other varieties.  You may also find you but apples based on the brand name on the sign, bag or sticker attached to the fruit.  Again, you associate this label with certain quality expectations and it makes your purchasing decision that much simpler.

5. Organic vs. Non Organic
This factor could almost be numbered “4b” since it’s so closely associated to brand preference and labeling, but it’s so important for us as eco-conscious shoppers I think it deserves its own number.  One label that might immediately affect your decision on purchasing an apple is whether or not that apple has been designated as ‘organic’ or not.  There are entire stores that only stock organic produce and often large grocery stores will segment organic produce into its own section.  If organic is your primary decision point you may even ignore quality and value to ensure the apple you buy is an organic one.

But there is a sixth factor, one that I haven’t mentioned yet and it should be the primary reason you’re buying an apple in the first place: nutrition.  Let’s face it: you’re standing there in the produce section with an apple in your hand because you think that the apple is good for you, right?
So look at those five factors above again.  Does the fact that your apple is pretty, locally produced, cheap, and labeled appropriately mean that it’s the better apple?  I’m going to say “no” and here’s why.

If you were going to purchase a container of whey protein powder for a post-workout shake and you were ignoring factors such as price and labeling you would grab two containers and look at their ingredients and nutrition labels.  The whey powder with the best nutritional profile (in this case, high protein, low sugar, etc.) would be your best choice.

So if you were going to buy an apple as a post-workout snack wouldn’t the best criteria be to be able to compare nutrition labels?

Now before you say, “an apple is an apple”, consider this: in the last 80 years in the United States the amount of calcium in apples has dropped 48%; phosphorous 84%; iron 96%; and magnesium, has dropped 82%.  In fact, back in 1914 a single apple would provide you with half your day’s requirement for iron.  Today you’d have to eat 26 apples to get the same amount of iron.

Not all apples are created equal and the quality has little or nothing to do with whether any pesticides were sprayed on the apple or not.  Environmental conditions and soil quality play a huge role in the nutritional makeup of fruit such as apples.

Personally, I buy apples not only because they’re tasty but because my expectation is that they are healthy and packed with nutrients.  There isn’t much “value” to an apple if I have to take a mineral supplement pill every time I eat one.  I don’t care if the apple is genetically modified, twice as expensive and is shipped from 600 miles away – if it packs 10 or 20 times the nutrition of every other apple on the shelves it’s worth every penny.

So as a consumer, keep your eyes open and do your Googling.  They don’t make nutrition labels for apples (yet), but don’t take it for granted that all apples are the same.

» XCap News

Whether you love them or loathe them, there is no denying that Uggs are one of the most popular footwear trends out there.  I have seen them on 18 month old babies, and I have also seen them on 50 year old women.  I must admit that this is one article that almost brings me to tears to write.  I am the owner of a pair of mid calf, grey Uggs, and they have been my go-to winter boot of choice for the last year and a half.  They are warm, very comfortable, and can be worn with many different outfits.  I have to admit that other than that, I never did put much thought into exactly how my Uggs were produced.

1.  Uggs are made from sheepskin.  Yes, most people, myself included, do realize this however most also do not look into exactly where this sheepskin comes from.  Uggs are made from Australian merino sheep, which happen to be animals that are treated very inhumanely.  Merino sheep were bread to have an excessive amount of fleece, which also causes them to have very wrinkly skin.  Most are sheared through a painful process called mulesing, where strips of flesh are also cut off of the animals hindquarters.  As with all procedures sheep endure, including castration, no anesthetic is used.  Very little care is also put into how these animals are treated during shearing and slaughter, and because of that the conditions are very inhumane.  In fact, many celebrities and clothing companies,like H&M are now boycotting Australian merino wool for these reasons.

2.  Made in Australia?  I shamefully admit that when I bought my Uggs instead of checking the label I automatically believed that they were made in Australia.  After all that is how they are marketed.  Their website is www.uggaustralia.com, for goodness sakes.  However, when I looked at the tag inside my Uggs boots, I was very surprised to  see “made in China” written on the label.  As uncovered by Blonde By Nature, Uggs Australia boots are made in China, albeit with Australian merino sheepskin.
 
3.   Uggs was a generic name for this style of Australian sheepskin boots which has been around for decades.  There is talk of them originating in World War II.  The name was sold to Deckers Outdoor Coropration.  So, while UGG boots are a brand name boot, they are not the only sheepskin boot on the market.  There are many quality sheepskin boots that are actually made in Australia.  While this doesn’t do anything to help with the merino sheep issue, at least they are made in Australia.  And guess what?  They are usually cheaper too!

So, according to these important tidbits of information, I own a pair of boots that come from the most abused and mistreated sheep in the world, and are manufactured my some of the most mistreated, underpaid workers in the world.  Not only that, but they are also the incredibly over-priced product of a company being able to buy and market the brand name to their advantage without actually producing an original, made in Australia product.   And all for a whopping price of $250!  The only question really left to ask is why then exactly are the Uggs Australia boots worth so much more that all of the cheaper sheepskin brands?  The only reason I can think of is because of fantastic marketing and brand recognition.  It just goes to show that paying for a name brand nowadays doesn’t always pay off.

Are their humane Ugg alternatives available?

Yes!  Luckily, as awareness about the issues surrounding animal skins grow, many companies now offer cruelty free Ugg style boots.  There are some fabulous faux sheep skin boots available....and for a much more reasonable price than the brand name Uggs.

I have learned some important lessons from writing this article.  First, always check the label.  Second, don’t automatically fall for slick marketing, and finally read beyond the hype and learn about the product you are interested in buying.

» Save the Sheep

Valentines day is coming up quickly.  For many of us that means spending time with our sweetheart, having a romantic dinner.....and consuming copious amounts of chocolate!  It is no wonder that chocolate is such a popular gift to give our loved ones.  It tastes fantastic, most people love it, it is decadent, and dark chocolate even contains healthy antioxidents.  Unfortunately much of the chocolate available on the market has some dirty little secrets.

1.  Cocoa plants are very suseptable to pests and diseases, and because of that are one of the most heavily sprayed crops around.
2.   Cocoa producers are paid very poorly for their product.  Because of this many of them live in poverty.  Child labor is also common because of this.
3.   In order to produce more yield, new varieties that can be grown in full sun have been introduced.  Instead of the natural cocoa plants that grow in the shade of the forest, these increase the destruction of the forest.

So what can be done to ensure that the chocolate you buy does not contribute to these problems?  There are many certifications that you can look for when buying chocolate, and nowadays many brands that meet these certifications are appearing in local grocery stores.  So, what exactly should be on your chocolate wrapper?

1.  Fair Trade - Fair trade aims to ensure that farmers receive a fair price for their product and good labor conditions to work in.  Under fair trade these farmers are able to live and support their families properly.
2.   Certified Organic - There are many different organizations that certify organic products.  Certified organic guarantees that the crops are not sprayed with dangerous chemicals. 
3.   Rainforest Alliance - The rainforest alliance covers many areas that are important in cocoa farming.  They work with farmers to ensure sustainability by promoting the original shade grown cocoa plants.  Because these are grown in the shelter of the forests they are much more environmentally friendly and help promote wildlife conservation.  They also work with farmers to ensure that they are making at least the country minimum wage, and provide training on how to get the best yields from their crops.

Luckily for us chocolate lovers, there are many fantastic brands of “ethical chocolate”

Green & Blacks - Green & Blacks makes a variety of chocolate products including chocolate bars, ice cream, baking chocolate and hot chocolate mix.  I can say from experience that the quality and taste of their chocolate is fantastic.  With it’s popularity gaining it is appearing not only in specialty stores but also in local supermarkets and drug stores as well.

Lake Champlain Chocolates - Lake Champlain makes a variety of certified organic, fair trade chocolate products including bars, assortments, gift baskets and hot chocolate.

 

» Organic Chocolate on Ecollo

Who would have ever thought the humble bee would serve as inspiration for one of the most widely recognized natural body care lines available today? Burt's Bees originally started out selling beeswax candles in 1984, using the by-product from beekeeper Burt Shavitz's business. The company became successful quickly, but it wasn't until 1989 that Roxanne Quimby, Burt's partner, found a nineteenth century book containing recipes for homemade personal care products, which inspired the company to branch out use beeswax to make natural soaps and perfumes, in addition to candles. Lip balm was added soon after and remains one of the company's most successful products to date.

The company prides itself on creating over 150 items that are 99 per cent natural. Every product contains a "natural bar" that indicates the percentage of natural ingredients contained in it. There are no artificial colors or preservatives found in the products; instead beta-carotene, chlorophyll are used to provide color and natural preservatives such as the ones found in sugar enzymes are used. Burt's Bees also tries to use as little in the way of fragrance components as possible, and all of the fragrances sold by the company as phthalate-free.

The packaging has been designed to reflect the company's commitment to natural products; all of the packaging is made from recycled materials that are also fully recyclable.

Finally, the company takes care to follow the natural production cycles of bees, so that the bees' environment is never harmed when the beeswax is harvested.

...read the rest...