CAFOs Uncovered

CAFOs Uncovered

"Confined Animal Feeding Operations" is the industry term for the way the vast majority of food animals are raised in the US today. The Union of Concerned Scientists has recently published a report demonstrating that "the crowded conditions in these facilites have increased water and air pollution and other types of harm to public health and rural communities."

To read the report, or its executive summary, click on the links under "related links" in the middle of the article. Also, there is a petition to the Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture that you can sign on-line, urging the USDA to level the playing field so that small farms using sustainable agriculture practices get a fair shake.

In western Loudoun County we are lucky to have the choice to support alternative and more sustainable agricultural methods by purchasing food produced on local farms. I am working toward the day when Greater Goods will play a part on this effort by providing a venue for local producers to sell their food goods!

Five reasons why Fair Trade is good for the environment

From the Fair Trade Resource Network:

• One of Fair Trade’s six principles is environmental sustainability. Companies that fail to uphold this principle in their supply chain will not be admitted into the Fair Trade Federation and are refused certification by TransFair USA
• During the production process of Fair Trade products harmful agrochemicals and fertilizers are often now allowed to be used, sold, handled or distributed by producer organizations. When they are used, they are done so in minimal quantities with strict regulations and guidelines on their usage.
• Many Fair Trade products are made by hand, often in producers’ homes or villages. Choosing hand production over mechanized production significantly reduces CO² emissions that are often omitted from big factories. Since Fair Trade producers are often based in remote rural areas, where resources and infrastructure are scarce, they are provided with income earning opportunities that they otherwise would not have had. What little energy is needed in the production process is often produced through alternative energy sources.
• Fair Trade products are often made from materials that are locally and abundantly available.
• The majority of Fair Trade products are transported to consumer countries by boat. This significantly reduces CO² omissions created by air travel.

In lieu of me writing ...

Here's a campaign I've joined. Check it out and see if you'd like to as well.