The Dirty Dozen for 2011

Is your produce coated in pesticide? The Environmental Working Group released their 2011 list today of the best and worst fruits and vegetables when it comes to pesticide contamination. You can use this list to spend your money for organic foods most effectively.  Print this list and take it to the supermarket with you!

"Eat your fruits and vegetables! The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure. Use EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides to reduce your exposures as much as possible, but eating conventionally-grown produce is far better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all. The Shopper's Guide to Pesticide in Produce will help you determine which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide residues and are the most important to buy organic. You can lower your pesticide intake substantially by avoiding the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the least contaminated produce."

EWG's 2011 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce

Dirty Dozen

Buy these organic

1

Apples

2

Celery

3

Strawberries

4

Peaches

5

Spinach

6

Nectarines

– imported

7

Grapes – imported

8

Sweet bell peppers

9

Potatoes

10

Blueberries

– domestic

11

Lettuce

12

Kale/collard greens

Clean 15

Lowest in Pesticide

1

Onions

2

Sweet Corn

3

Pineapples

4

Avocado

5

Asparagus

6

Sweet peas

7

Mangoes

8

Eggplant

9

Cantaloupe

- domestic

10

Kiwi

11

Cabbage

12

Watermelon

13

Sweet potatoes

14

Grapefruit

15

Mushrooms

Why Wear Organic?

So I'm definitely guilty of buying organic and all-natural fibers when choosing clothing for my little ones, but not paying much attention when it comes to my own wardrobe. An article in a newsletter from one of my favorite bloggers EcoLogicalMom made me think twice about that this morning.  So much so that I wanted to share it with you right away: 

7 Reasons to Wear Organics

We all know that organic food is not treated with harmful pesticides, reason why it is delicious (and expensive!). However many of us don't fully understand the benefits of wearing organic clothing. Well, we've done a bit of a research for you, and here are the 7 key benefits of organic clothing you should know:

1. It is reported that cotton crops are the 2nd largest user of agricultural pesticides in the world. Only second to coffee internationally and to corn here in the United States. This means that 25% of the world's insecticides and 10% of the world's pesticides are dedicated to cotton. Four of the top nine pesticides used in treating  cotton is considered by the EPA to be highly carcinogenic. These are cyanide, dicofol, naled and propargite. Also, organic cotton is grown on land that is certified to be free from any pesticide, insecticide  and defoliants for at least three years. Also, organic fabric contains natural dyes, which are safer for your health and for the environment.

2. When the crops are sprayed it is estimated that only 25% of those chemicals actually get absorbed into the plant. The rest is drifting up to miles and settling on crops that we eat and into water that is a drinking source for humans and animals.

3. Some of the insects that these chemicals are supposed to repel are becoming immuned to these synthetics. This requires that more be dumped onto the plant in attempt to produce the highest yield possible.

4. Organic cotton is hypoallergenic, meaning it doesn't harbor the particles in the air that can make it hard to breathe.

5. Organic fabrics typically absorb moisture more efficiently than non-organic fabrics.

6. When you purchase organic fabric, you're supporting farmers who use products that are safer for the environment. Overall, buying organic cotton helps reduce your carbon footprint.

7. Because organic fabric isn't produced using harmful chemicals and pesticides, it is safer for the men and women who work the land. When you purchase organic fabric, you're supporting safer working environments.