Whole Foods & Organic Labeling

Whole Foods may be able to jump start an industry move to better, more accurate product labeling. According to the NYT, to be in effect as of June 1, 2011, Whole Foods's new policy requires all health and beauty products labeled as organic to be certified by either the Agriculture Department’s National Organic Program, which sets standards for food, or NSF International, a nonprofit based in Ann Arbor, Mich., that issues its own certification mark.

From renewable energy and carbon offsets to food and health products, green claims are often misleading or fraudulent. That "all-natural" cream you purchased might actually have harmful chemicals or you find out the "beyond organic" shampoo you've been using isn't organic at all. The green industry needs more transparency, regulations, and accountability so consumers are getting exactly what is being claimed. This policy could be the first of many changes to industry standards. We say, good job, Whole Foods, for finally doing something!

Read the NYT's article here.

--- Viv