Annie’s! I’m sure you were all in suspense for the next installment. So, Annie’s sells the white cheddar mac and cheese, but also a whole bunch of other prepared foods, cereal, snacks, and condiments. Everything they sell is organic or “all natural” – which honestly sounds rather sketchy, but everything I’ve read indicates this is not greenwashing. [Greenwashing is defined as: “Disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public image” (Oxford English Dictionary).] Organic food production is much better for the environment, through reduced use of pesticides, fertilizers, GMOs, and selective breeding. By buying only organic, and from animals raised with fewer chemicals, Annie’s consumers are helping to create more demand for these things through success of their product. (annies.com) Win!
My favorite so far is the Creamy Deluxe variety, because you don’t have to deal with milk, and it’s delicious. Yeah, some of the prepared foods require assembly, about 1/3 cup of milk and a bit of butter if you want, but it’s not a big deal. I wish they sold the cheddar bunnies crackers and soup here, they sound really good, and I’m totally sick of Ritz crackers. Those things you eat only at Thanksgiving when older relatives are in charge of the appetizers. Yuck.
You say that organic is better for the environment, but I'm interested in knowing how much better. And how much better is it for me as a consumer of said organic food?
ReplyDeleteGrowing organic is better for the environment because organic farms reduce pollution (air, water, soil), conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy. Organic farmers don't use chemical fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormones, or genetically modified organisms to promote unnatural growth and size. The runoff from these chemicals contributes to eutrophication and acidification in lakes and ponds, damaging their ecosystems and organisms. Pesticide exposure is also not good for people, especially children and pregnant women. You'll be eating a natural, cleaner product, so while the studies about improved organic nutrition are still inconclusive, it just makes common sense. (http://helpguide.org/life/organic_foods_pesticides_gmo.htm)
ReplyDeleteMan if I had a dollar for each time I feel like I've been greenwashed these days, I could probably pay someone to tell me when I actually am being greenwashed! It's nice to know annie's is not a culprit, as I've always been suspicious of just how organic one can make instant food.
ReplyDeleteIf I see a product advertised as being eco-friendly, my default assumption is that the company is greenwashing. Is there some kind of simple metric to find out whether a company is actually eco-friendly? Like some sort of EPA stamp of approval?
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