I’m sharing this Ethical Bargains post as a continuation of last week’s discussion on whether we should support organic agriculture. It examines a product from Earthbound Farm, a company labeled by Michael Pollan as “Big Organic.” Continue reading An ethical rating for “Big Organic”
Industrial agriculture threatens soil integrity and biodiversity. It exacerbates the biggest threat to agriculture – climate change – and also our susceptibility to that threat. Organic agriculture, on the other hand, has lower crop yields and therefore requires more land. So, what’s it to be? Continue reading Certified organic: Should we really support it?
Certifications by reputable, independent organizations are extremely important when governments don’t value the environment and allow corporations to run amok. Certification by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is designed to assure consumers that forestry-related products are produced without causing environmental damage. But is FSC certification effective? Continue reading An evaluation of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification
Moving from WhatsApp to Signal is an important action, right now. WhatsApp’s parent company, Meta, has been involved in several cases of election interference: America in 2016, Trinidad and Tobago in 2010, and Brazil in 2018. Mark Zuckerberg has apologized in the past but now, since his post-election dinner with Trump, wants “a culture that celebrates the aggression a bit more.” Continue reading Signal – an ethical replacement for WhatsApp
The level of shade cover is one of the best ways to determine if forest habitats are being maintained. The good news is that shade-tolerant crops such as cacao can tolerate over 30% shade cover with no reduction in crop yield. The bad news is that the Rainforest Alliance standards on shade cover have weakened over the years – 15% cover is now considered adequate. This begs the question: Is the Rainforest Alliance worthy of your support? Continue reading Is Rainforest Alliance an effective certification?
Many of us are overwhelmed by the political situation in the US – feeling helpless on the sidelines, watching as new horrors unfold every day and wishing there was something we could do. Well there is! Don’t allow annoying, unstable people ruin our long-term plan of saving the only home we have. Continue reading The most vital action to take in America, right now
Third-party certifications provide one of the more accessible ways to practice ethical consumption. They provide a means of communicating to the consumer that a corporate supply chain maintains certain social or environmental standards. This topic is highly relevant right now because of the systematic undermining of regulations, environmental protections, human rights, and corporate oversight that is taking place in America. Continue reading Should you support fair trade?
Pope Francis passed away yesterday morning. Two years into his papacy, Pope Francis published a book on climate change and inequality. He chose to tackle the most critical environmental issue and the most critical social issue that we face on Earth. Continue reading Pope Francis on climate change and inequality
I was not aware of the story behind Dave’s Killer Bread until I researched the brand, last week. All I knew was that Dave was a long-haired dude who played guitar and was now making a range of healthy, organic breads. Before joining his family’s bakery to form the brand Dave’s Killer Bread, Dave spent 15 years of his life in prison. Continue reading Second Chances – Dave’s Killer Bread
How do we live on a budget while also being as socially and environmentally responsible as possible? Well, the good news is that there is significant overlap between living on a budget and living an ethical life – they are actually pretty compatible goals. Continue reading How to live ethically on a budget
The Green Stars Project 