Comments on: OBSCENE GREEN: DOING MORE WITH MORE

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:02:54 +0000

I should add that I do have the option to shop at another store that sells organic/local produce. I exercise that option and I must concede that there are many places where WF is the only market of its kind. I have no qualms about someone shopping WF because WF is their best source of responsibly produced food. I must agree with previous posters that not all locations are like SoCal where organic markets are more commonplace.

After the furor of greenwashing has passed, the bottom line is that more people will have heard about the benefits of local/organic food because of the existence of WF. To me that's a net-positive, despite the fact that I don't shop there.

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:07:26 +0000

Time will tell what happens to the new fad of greenwashing. Being "green" is big business. For those of us that have been thinking green and small for a long time, it seems like the new wave of green devotees are "phonies." I must rationalize with myself that someone doing the right thing for the wrong reasons is better than someone doing the wrong thing for whatever reason.I personally do not shop at WF because I don't like the atmosphere. It is the "Abercrombie and Fitch" of the grocery store world. I guess that makes me unsophisticated. So be it.

By: amy bardwell

amy bardwell — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:54:53 +0000

i do visit the WF on Rosemead & Foothill for the occasional half-gallon of raw milk (sadly quite pricey) and some cod liver oil. didn't know about the exclusivity deal... bummer. i may have to check out Granny's for the cod liver oil, though.

By: Renee

Renee — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:06:21 +0000

You go girl I loved reading this firey post, although maybe I just read it more firey than you wrote it because it's a hot issue for me and I agree with you. Although I could put my money where my mouth is better, I do choose to shop at farmer's markets and at a wonderful locally owned grocery called New Seasons that we have here in Portland. Wonderful people, they treat their employees very well, and source a lot of things locally. There is also a co-op I am trying to frequent more.

Baby steps keep leading me to bigger steps. I think it's great for you to point all this out to your mass of readers. People are trying to find the right thing to do, but it takes lots of time and energy to make the right choices. You are helping to educate people to make better choices.

By: Kara

Kara — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:32:39 +0000

I randomly came across your website and find it inspiring. We live in NorCal- and have started turning our large yard into a garden. Thank you for the very helpful blog and tips- we be using soil blocks next year.

Your comments on Whole Foods couldn't be more right. It seems as though people are really missing the point about being green. It is wonderful that people have options- but - How green are organic- tomato's from Brazil in January? We'd be much better off going without the winter tomato and focusing on what's available seasonly. Canning is an excellent way to save fresh produce- root veggies can also extend the growing season.

As for the meat consumption- no matter how free range, organic, grass feed, ect. the animal, there are still tremendous environmental impacts involved with the raising and slaughter of animals.

Once again thank you for the website!!

By: lyssa

lyssa — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:00:48 +0000

I don't even really like shopping at the regular-sized Whole Foods stores...though the food quality is high, the prices are staggering and the stores are just not friendly. They have a very sterile, corporate green-ness.

Still, I do recognize how lucky we are around here in S. Cal to have so many choices and year-round easy growing seasons. I can't afford to make all my food choices organic, but at least I'm always able to find the organic foods that really matter to me (my priorities are organic milk and eggs, then down through the heavy pesticide vegetables).

This is the first year that I'm eating some stuff from my own backyard...it is very exciting!

By: Cindy

Cindy — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:29:49 +0000

I have to agree with Stephanie's comments. While Whole Foods may not suit the tastes of those green thinking people who have other options, there are a great many more people in this world that would not have nearly the interest in heading in the direction of better choices if it wasn't for places like Whole Foods. For those of us that don't live in California, where farmers markets can exist year round in some fashion, places like Whole Foods at least give us a choice beyond the shriveled imports at Wal-Mart or Piggly Wiggly. And like it or not, the sucess of the Whole Foods chain has caused even Wal-Mart to start seeking out locally grown and organic produce on a small scale in some markets including my area. And to me that's a good thing, both for me and the farmers that Wal-Mart and now Piggly Wiggly (competing with Wal-Mart) are working with.

By: Anais

Anais — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:15:52 +0000

Anne

Thanks for the comment. Yep, good ol' Granny's is still plugging away. Go Granny, Go Granny Go!

Even so not all is well. Granny's can't sell our local ORGANIC PASTURES brand of milk products because Whole Foods has instigated an "exclusivity policy" with the milk company. It states that WF is the only store in the area that can carry Organic Pastures. Talk about monopoly and heavy handed policy.

Anais

By: Anne

Anne — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:08:20 +0000

Steve asked, "Do you really want huge companies like Heinz and Kraft making everything you can buy?" It's a question with a point, but unfortunately there is a reality in the organic foods movement that most people are unaware of, and that is that the majority of the "organic" brands are owned by a few huge corporations, including Heinz and Kraft.

Here's a link to a chart showing which mega companies own much of the "organic" industry:
http://awesome.goodmagazine.co.....ganic.html

I grew up in Pasadena, and loved to go with my mother when she shopped at at Granny's Pantry. It is so nice to know that Granny's is still there and hasn't been pushed out by the bigger health food stores!

By: Devin Quince

Devin Quince — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:10:20 +0000

Here in Minnesota, I stopped at one of the "local" WF to get some misc. stuff and was really annoyed to find that they had blocked 75% of the bike parking with 2 large carts full of Spring flowers. When I mentioned this, they just blew me off, as though I was a bother. Nice way to support green transit!