Elise Amendola/AP By CANDICE CHOINEW YORK -- Whole Foods Market plans to start rolling out a system that ranks fruits and vegetables as "good," "better" or "best" based on the supplier's farming practices.
Most notably, the supermarket chain says its "responsibly grown" labeling system for produce and flowers will pro! hibit the use of several common pesticides. The rankings will also take into account factors such as water and energy usage.
The program will start appearing in the nearly 400 Whole Foods stores in the U.S. and Canada starting Wednesday, with the rankings being noted on signs where prices are listed. Not all produce and flowers that Whole Foods sells will qualify.
The standards were developed by Whole Foods and aren't an official government designation.
The move signals how Whole Foods is trying to draw a sharper distinction between itself and its competitors, in part by making shoppers feel more empowered about their purchasing decisions. The grocery chain, which has about 400 locations, already has ranking systems for meat and seafood, which takes into account animal welfare and sustainability standards, respectively.Whole Foods Market (WFM), based in Austin, Texas, has nevertheless seen its sales growth slow as ! traditional supermarket chains and big-box retailers have musc! led in on the market for organic and natural products. To hold onto customers, executives have said they plan to more clearly state what makes Whole Foods stores different.
Matt Rogers, global produce coordinator for Whole Foods, said the "responsibly grown" program is major push toward eliminating the use of certain pesticides that studies have indicated can be harmful to farm workers and children born to mothers exposed to them.
'Responsibly Grown'
Although organic standards prohibit a more comprehensive list of pesticides, he said the "responsibly grown" program could encourage non-organic producers to stop using some pesticides.
He also noted it's intended to address other factors people care about, such as water usage.
Although it shouldn't result in higher prices for shoppers, Rogers said such labeling typically helps boost sales because people feel better about what they're buying.
Kari Hamerschlag of Friends of th! e Earth, an environmental advocacy group, applauded Whole Foods for prohibiting a fairly comprehensive list of pesticides to qualify for its rankings. To achieve the "best" rating, however, she noted only four of the seven major pesticides shown to be harmful to bee populations were prohibited.
Information about what the rankings signify will be available online and in brochures in stores.
To achieve a "good" rating, Whole Foods says suppliers also have to take 16 steps to "protect the air, soil, water and human health." The steps vary in difficultly, however. For instance, the first is that the supplier meets regulations regarding matters such as irrigation.
Michele Simon, a public health lawyer and author of "Appetite for Profit: How the Food Industry Undermines Our Health and How to Fight Back," said private retailers can play an important role in pushing suppliers toward better practices. But she noted that such rankings by companies can also lead to c! onsumer confusion if not done properly, especially if there isn't trans! parency behind how they're determined.
Whole Foods said suppliers will submit compliance information through an internal website. If the applications raise any red flags, the company may ask for additional documentation or perform on-site audits. Whole Foods declined to provide a comprehensive list of additional steps suppliers would have to take to qualify for the "better" and "best" rankings.
- 12 Ways to Save Money by Going Green
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Strategic planting of trees can reduce an unshaded home's air conditioning costs 15 percent to 50 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, which has tips on landscaping for shade. Some tility companies offer customers free trees throughout the year, and some local governments give away trees as part of Arbor Day celebrations. For $10, you can join the Arbor Day Foundation and get ten free trees. Plus, your membership entitles you to a 33% discount on trees when you buy online from the foundation.
1. Plant trees -
By leaving your car at home two days a week, you can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by more than 3,000 pounds a year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Plus, you'll save money on gas and parking if you bike rather than drive to work. For example, you'll save about $7 a day by biking rather than driving if you have a 15-mile round-trip commute. The How Much Can I Save Biking to Work? Tool analyzes your financial benefits. If biking isn't an option, you still can drive less by organizing a carpool, using public transportation or walking.
2. Bike to work -
You can save an estimated 10 percent a year on heating and cooling costs by installing a programmable thermostat, according to the Energy Department. Save energy in the winter by setting the thermostat (which costs as little as $20) to 68 degrees while you're awake and programming it for a lower temperature while you're asleep or away from home. Set it for 78 degrees in the summer and increase the temperature when you're not home. You can shave 1 percent off your bill for each degree you decrease the temperature in the winter or increase it in the summer. And, no, you won't have to use more energy to warm or cool your house off when you get home. That's a common misconception, according to the Energy Department.
3. Install a programmable thermostat -
The meat industry generates about one-fifth of the world's man-made greenhouse gas emissions, according to estimates from the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization. So if your family skipped eating steak once a week, it would be the equivalent of taking your car off the road for nearly three months, according to the Earth Day Network. And you'd save money. For example, a sirloin steak costs twice as much per pound as chicken breasts and nearly five times as much as beans, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
4. Eat less meat -
You can save $70 a year on your energy bill by replacing the light bulbs in five of your most frequently used fixtures with Energy Star qualified LED or CFL bulbs, according to the EPA. These bulbs use 75 percnet less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last ten to 25 times longer.
5. Switch your light bulbs -
You can save money on your water bill by installing water-efficient faucets, showerheads and toilets. Look for products with the WaterSense label, which means they are certified to be at least 20 percent more efficient without sacrificing performance. For example, WaterSense-labeled toilets can save a family of four more than $90 annually on their water bill and $2,000 over the toilet's lifetime, according to the EPA. Considering you can get a toilet with the WaterSense label for as little as $98, it will pay for itself in about a year. Estimate your savings with this simple calculator.
6. Install water-efficient fixtures -
Americans discard more than 2 million tons of obsolete electronic products annually, according to the EPA. Rather than fill the dump with your unwanted gadgets, fill your wallet by selling them. Sites such as BuyMyTronics.com, Gazelle, NextWorth and uSell pay cash -- and cover the cost of shipping -- for electronics such as smartphones, tablets, computers and more. The type of electronics you can sell varies by site, as does the amount you can receive. If none of the sites will accept your unwanted electronics, see the EPA's eCycling list for responsible electronics recyclers.
7. Recycle electronics -
Americans spend $5.25 billion on fertilizers for their lawns, according to the EPA. Yet, you can get fertilizer for free by composting leaves, grass clippings, vegetable scraps and other organic waste. Plus, composting can divert as much as 30 percent of household waste from the garbage can, according to Eartheasy's guide to composting.
8. Compost -
You may be able to cut your water costs a little by installing rain barrels at downspouts to collect water. You can attach a hose to the barrels to water your lawn and garden. The cost can be free (from some water departments), cheap (a recycled large plastic trash can or metal drum) or expensive (about $100 for a 50-gallon barrel at home and garden centers and online.
9. Use rain barrels -
You're doing your health a favor by drinking water rather than soda. But if you're buying bottled water, you're not doing your wallet or the environment a favor. According to the International Bottle Water Association, Americans spent $11.8 billion on bottled water in 2012. Considering that the average cost per bottle is $1.45 and the average consumer buys 167 bottles a year, you'll spend more than $240 a year on bottled water at that rate. For the cost of just a few disposable bottles of water you can buy a reusable bottle that you can fill and carry with you wherever you go.
10. Use a refillable water bottle -
Clothes dryers can be one of the most expensive home appliances to operate, accounting for approximately 6 percent of a home's total electricity usage, according to the California Energy Commission's Consumer Energy Center. Because all dryers use about the same amount of energy, the best way to save money -- and benefit the environment -- is to line-dry your clothes whenever you can.
11. Line-dry your clothes -
Energy vampires –- electronics that draw power even when they're not in use –- cost Americans almost $10 billion a year and account for almost 11 percent of all U.S. energy use, according to the EPA. If you want to avoid unplugging all of your electronics when they're not in use, you can buy an inexpensive power strip that several things can be plugged into and turned off with the flip of a switch. The Smart Strip Power Strip ($25 and up) will automatically shut off computer peripherals, such as printers and scanners, when not in use. And the Belkin Conserve Smart AV ($29.99) automatically shuts off components, such as a gaming console, receiver and speakers, when you turn off your TV.
12. Buy a power strip - More from DailyFinance
Source : http://www.dailyfinance.com/2014/10/15/whole-foods-market-green-produce/
