Dirty Dozen 2011

So, the other day, I posted the "Dirty Dozen"; a list of fruits and vegetables that more readily retain pesticides versus those that do not.  I saw today that the Environmental Working Group has released an updated list:

1. Apples

2. Celery

3. Strawberries

4. Peaches

5. Spinach

6. Imported nectarines

7. Imported grapes

8. Sweet bell peppers

9. Potatoes

10. Domestic blueberries

11. Lettuce

12. Kale/collard greens

The group also lists the "Clean 15," or those that rank lowest in pesticide residues. These are:

1. Onions

2. Sweet Corn

3. Pineapples

4. Avocado

5. Asparagus

6. Sweet peas

7. Mangoes

8. Eggplant

9. Domestic cantaloupe

10. Kiwi

11. Cabbage

12. Watermelon

13. Sweet Potatoes

14. Grapefruit

15. Mushrooms

Again, this something to keep in mind when allocating your food budget.  Try to go organic where you can.  

The Dirty Dozen

Now, we all know that organic food can be more expensive, than non-organic.  It makes it a little difficult to to be consistent, and know that you are getting what you need out of your produce.  This list has been floating around for a long time, but I feel it's essential to the discussion.  If you are limited in your organic choices, or funding for your organic choices, you can still make better decisions in the produce department.  If you can't go all organic, at least consider these two lists:


12 Most Contaminated

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes (Imported)
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

12 Least Contaminated

• Onions
• Avocado
• Sweet Corn (Frozen)
• Pineapples
• Mango
• Asparagus
• Sweet Peas (Frozen)
• Kiwi Fruit
• Bananas
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Papaya

You'll notice that the "most contaminated" lists has a lot of fleshy fruit, and these can absorb many of the toxins easier than say a pineapple that has a tough skin.  So, print this out, and bring it with you to the store.  I know many of these aren't always available (organic strawberries are impossible to find in my area unless you go to Trader Joe's, or an organic farm), but at least you will be able to make an informed decision.

Sylvia Earle

Sylvia Earle spoke at Smith College's Commencement this past weekend.  She is definitely one of my role models.  She entered the world of marine science when it was completely male dominated.

Why?

I was talking with a friend of mine yesterday, and we were discussing how confusing, and overwhelming "green" decisions can be.  The need to take into consideration everything from biodegradability, to what kind of chemicals are leaching from plastics, to which companies use sustainable practices, and which ones test on animals is a lot to reconcile.

The way that I approach this is to consider what is best for my situation, and my family.  I know, that sounds really self-centered.  I typically have a problem with Johnny-come-latelys, and that statement reeks of that type of attitude.  The truth is, I have been interested in "saving the planet" for as long as I can remember.  I was even getting my family to recycle when I was about 12 years old.  (Not easy.)  I had found a book called "50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save The Earth" (the latest version: http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Things-Kids-Save-Earth/dp/B003F76HOS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306689435&sr=8-1), and I became an eco-warrior.  You wouldn't know that by looking at me, or the way I live now.  I don't garden (I have a notoriously black thumb), and I need air conditioning in the summer to survive.  However, I do recycle everything that I can, I drive an economy car, and we just got our first compost bin in the backyard.  (I really, really want to love gardening!)  I buy organic, and am trying to become more of a locavore, but, admittedly, it's hard to break the grocery store habit.

Ultimately, I would like this to be a place of discussion, and ideas.  I think that education really is the key to the future, and I've always known that we can do better than to say "you're either with us, or you're against us" in the environmental world.  Once you start, it's easy to keep that momentum going, and even fun to find new ways to be green.  I must disagree with Kermit, and say, "it is easy being green."  Sometimes, it just takes baby steps.