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Help?! Eating healthy just got harder. Archive in diet.

Friends, FYI.

Comments?

Walt

Wow!! I had no idea some of my favorite brands were actually fronts
for some of the companies I strive to avoid most...
Other comments?
Misty L. Trepke
http://www.searching-alternatives.com

What We Need to Know About the Corporate Takeover of the
"Organic" Food Market

http://www.corporganics.org/

HERE ARE THE DETAILS:

Bearitos, Bread Shop Granola, Celestial Seasonings, Garden of
Eatin', Health Valley, Imagine Foods (Rice Dream), Terra Chips, and
Westbrae (canned vegetables, soy drinks, pastas, Little Bear Corn
Chips), are all owned by the Hain Food Group whose prime investments
are managed by companies like "Wellington Management." Their
principal stockholders are PHILIP MORRIS (cigarettes), MONSANTO
(genetically modified food), CITIGROUP (rainforest destruction),
(genetically modified foods), EXXONMOBIL (global warming), WAL-MART,
ENTERGY NUCLEAR, LOCKHEED MARTIN (weapons), WASTE MANAGEMENT INC
(giant landfills), PFIZER (drugs), MERCK (drugs), BANK OF AMERICA
(racial discrimination) & (animal cruelty), etc. All of the above
are themselves significantly owned by Citigroup, "the World's Most
Destructive Bank" --Rainforest Action Network. Citigroup backs
corporate prisons, Third World debt, genetic engineering,
predatory lending, and rainforest destruction. H.J. Heinz Co. owns
nearly 20% of Hain: Editorial in Natural Progressions, by Bob
Swientek 11/99: "Back in April, I wrote in this column that the
corporate suits (mainstream food manufacturers) were overrunning the
tofu eaters (natural foods processors) at the Natural Products Expo-
West. Well, the "run" is now a full-fledged sprint. In September,
Heinz bought a 19.5% stake in Hain Food Group for nearly $100
million. Hain, the leading producer of natural foods in the country
with annual sales of $206 million in '99, acquired the Earth's Best
baby food brand in the deal. By gaining entry into the natural
and organic foods arena, Heinz may be in the initial stages of
reinventing itself. It better...most of its businesses, including
its profitable ketchup franchise, are slow growth." Heinz itself is
owned by same mutual funds that own Hain, and its prime stockholders
include the same multinationals.

Cascadian Farms and Muir Glen are owned by Small Planet Foods
which is owned by GENERAL MILLS, whose principal investors are
PHILIP MORRIS, EXXONMOBIL, GENERAL ELECTRIC, CHEVRON, NIKE,
McDONALD'S, TARGET STORES, STARBUCK'S, MONSANTO, DUPONT (weapons &
pesticides), DOW CHEMICAL (Agent Orange, breast implants, napalm),
PEPSICO, ALCOA ALUMINUM, DISNEY (exploit Third World labor), TEXAS
INSTRUMENTS (weapons: one of GW Bush's top contributors), PFIZER.
General Mills is also being boycotted for animal rights abuse.

Stoned Wheat Thins is made with GMOs and is owned by NABISCO, which
has been bought by PHILIP MORRIS (12/00), which also owns KRAFT
General Foods Philip Morris Boycott & In Fact & Nabisco/Labor &
Nabisco News & pension funds & other

Odwalla Juice is owned by Coca-Cola, part of the Minute Maid unit.
Coca-Cola prohibits unionizing: WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 /PRNewswire --
Edgar Paez, of the Colombian trade union Sinaltrainal, was joined on
Monday by Teamster representatives, the AFL- CIO, members of the
clergy, civil rights activists and political leaders as he described
the brutal torture, kidnapping and murders of union workers in his
country -- particularly those working at Coca-Cola bottling
facilities. The group assembled for a peace vigil in front of the
World of Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta, GA. "My brothers and sisters
in Colombia have suffered unspeakable horrors because they belong to
a trade union," Paez said. "We stand united with American workers to
demand that Coca-Cola stop the violence." Coca-Cola paid $192.5
million to settle a U.S. racial discrimination lawsuit in 2000.

Fresh Samantha, a Maine juice brand that merged with Odwalla in May
2000, "has already begun reducing its fresh-fruit content by
boosting the water content--a way to make juices cheaper and longer-
lasting," according to Bill Sipper, marketing vice-president of the
Ultimate Juice Company.

Boca Burgers is owned by Kraft Foods, which is owned by Philip
Morris. Hearty & Natural veggie burgers is owned by Sunrich Food
Group, which is owned by Stake Technologies, which is owned
principally by Gruber & McBain Capital Management, whose principal
investors are Boeing, Lockheed Martin and by Polymedica, whose
principal investor is Safeco, whose principal investors are
ExxonMobil, General Electric, and Citigroup. Morningstar Farms
(Kellogg's) has been contaminated by Starlink GM corn. Silk Soy
Drink is owned by White Wave, which is owned by Dean Foods
(5/9/02), whose main shareholders are Microsoft, GE, Philip Morris,
Citigroup, Pfizer, ExxonMobil, Coca Cola, Wal-Mart, PepsiCo, Home
Depot. Stonyfield Farm (yogurt) is not yet dominated by
multinationals, but has "partnered" with GAIAM, whose major
stockholders include IBM, EXXON, CITIGROUP, JOHNSON & JOHNSON, WAL-
MART, and will be owned by Danone by 2004, which has been (like
Nestlé) 'breaking code on baby milk for Third World' (1/17/03
http://www.independent.co.uk). Danone is publicly traded: (DA) and
has trace ownership by Citigroup, GE, Wal-Mart, Exxon, etc.
Gardenburger is getting on the corporate gravy train, with 20% of
its stock owned (8/02) by such companies as PFIZER, WAL-MART,
MICROSOFT, CITIGROUP, AMERICAN EXPRESS, GILETTE, EXXON. Among their
brokers is Patman Foods, a major factory farm meatpacker.

Arrowhead Water and Poland Spring Water are owned by NESTLE, which
is being boycotted because its "breast milk substitute" causes the
deaths of millions of babies. Nestle Boycott & breastfeeding.com &
Baby Milk Action: "These babies are twins.(see photo) Their
Pakistani mother was wrongly advised that she would not have enough
breastmilk to feed both and so bottlefed her daughter while
breastfeeding her son. The girl died the day after this photo was
taken in Islamabad Children's Hospital. 'Use my picture,' said the
mother, 'if it will help others not to make the same mistake.'"

Seeds of Change is now owned by M&M-Mars Candy: "Women are from
Venus, Seeds are from Mars "Earlier this year, Seeds of Change, an
idealistic company formed in the 1980s to "preserve and spread a
diversity of organic seeds through the gritty, caring hands of
backyard gardeners," was bought out by M&M-Mars, Inc, the candy
company. As Seeds of Change Vice President Steve French explained to
the incredulous editors at Food & Water magazine, "I don't think
there are any real differences between Seeds of Change and Mars....
whether it's a Mars product or it's a Seeds of Change product, the
product benefits are very, very similar if we're talking about
nutrition here." --Earth Island Journal, Fall 98 RETURN TO INDEX
---------------------------------
HERE'S A LIST of these multinational brands to print out.RETURN TO
INDEX
---------------------------------

Impact on Organic Standards & SupplySome have said they welcome
major corporate investment in the natural food market, as
vindication of the value of natural foods. We should be concerned,
however, that control of the natural foods industry by fewer
companies will result in multinational corporate control of organic
acreage and marketing, forcing out smaller regional/family
suppliers, reducing competition, leading to weakened organic
standards (sewage sludge, irradiation, GMOs). We have already seen
the political effects of media integration-- once there were
thousands of independent radio stations and daily papers, now there
are a handful of TV networks and newspaper chains owned by these
same corporations. As well, payments by GreenStar shoppers to these
companies reinforce corporate control of other markets and of
lobbying, where they do great damage. "If we don't pay attention to
the politics of health food industry then we will shortly not have
organics." --Milo MacTavish, manager, Whole Foods Co-op, Norfolk, VA
For additional corporate link updates, see also VeganBuyout
RETURN TO INDEX
---------------------------------

HEALTH IMPACTSGreenStar's Mission Statement:
"Emphasizing the sale of nutritious food in as natural a state as
possible."
BOTTLED WATER BOYCOTT:

"Evian is Naive spelled backwards"
"most bottled water is nothing more than tap water in a bottle"
--New York State Department of Consumer Affairs
"Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype?"
FDA Rules for Bottled Water are Generally Less Strict than Tap Water
Rules
--Natural Resources Defense Council
"Every year 1.5 million tons of plastic are used to bottle water and
toxic chemicals can be released during the manufacture and disposal
of the bottles."
--Worldwide Fund for Nature
"Bottled water may be no safer, or healthier, than tap water in many
countries, while selling for up to 1,000 times the price."
--World Wildlife Fund
"If you are concerned about the quality of your drinking water and
regularly buy bottled water, you should invest in a water filter.
The production, packaging, and transportation of bottled water uses
an enormous amount of resources. Water filters are economical when
compared to bottled water and much kinder to the earth." --Co-op
America Categories of Bottled Water
Breast cancer and plastic bottles
Increasing drinking water protection in New York State REJECTED:
A.3205-C: "This legislation requires the water resources institute
to prepare and disseminate information regarding cryptosporidium to
those individuals who are more susceptible to illness caused by
exposure to cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium is a waterborne
pathogen which may cause death to individuals with compromised
immune systems and may cause illness to healthy individuals. It may
be transmitted through bottled water as well as by way of regular
tap water. Consumers of bottled water will be better informed about
the dangers of a variety of waterborne pathogens through the
enhanced labeling program set forth in this legislation."
This bill passed the Assembly but died in the Senate."
"NATURAL FLAVORS". may include aspartame, a potent carcinogen.
"Since it was granted blanket [FDA] approval it's mixed with sugar
and other sweeteners, unlabeled and mixed in artificial and natural
flavors." citation more and more and see also FLAVORS
"Natural flavorings" in Celestial Seasonings contain "free glutamic
acid," the bad part of MSG. See also www.truthinlabeling.org
Tom's of Maine toothpaste contains Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), a
known mutagen. See also Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth
Sulfate
"Harmful if Swallowed"
GreenStar is prohibited from selling products containing refined
sugar.
"Brown sugar" consists primarily of refined white sugar coated with
a fine molasses film. Milk hazards to health & environment & "Not
Milk!"
Petguard contains "Ocean Fish" which may include unregulated
non-dolphin-safe tuna catch.

Animal Protection Institute & Pet Food Ingredients & more yuck
Food Additives is book describing harmful ingredients in health
foods.

"While not all vegetable-protein products are 100% organic, most of
them sport the label 'made with organic soy.' According to the new
FDA rule, this means no genetically modified foods. The Wall Street
Journal decided to challenge GMO-free labeling by testing 20
products labeling that claim. One product tested showed 40% of the
soybean DNA in a veggie bacon came from genetically modified
plants." --Soyinfo.com
Ten Reasons Why GMOs Will Not Ensure Food Security
To say that the cosmetics industry is very poorly regulated is an
understatement. The FDA can make suggestions or recommendations to
manufacturers about cosmetic products or their ingredients, but the
manufacturers do not have to comply.
"Most products are labeled to 'sell' rather than to provide accurate
information about the product. Terms like natural and hypoallergenic
do not have official definitions, so the manufacturers can use them
to mean anything they want. This often leads to misleading
information about the product on the label." --From Dying to Look
Good: The Disturbing Truth About What¹s Really in Your Cosmetics,
Toiletries and Personal Care Products By Christine Hoza Farlow, D.C.
HARMFUL INGREDIENTS IN SHAMPOOS AND COSMETICS --EcoMall
Harmful Ingredients in Personal Care Products
"When it comes to soaps and shampoos, "almost every product out
therelabeled organic isn't," said Ronnie Cummins, executive director
of the
Organic Consumers Association. The United States Department of
Agriculture, which regulates organic food labeling, has neither
standards nor the
authority to regulate labels on personal care products." --
NYTimes 5/18/03: "Is Organic Shampoo Chemistry or Botany?"
"Restoring Health to Health Foods"
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---------------------------------

EXCESS FOOD PACKAGING is one of GreenStar's founding concerns.
"Recycled" soymilk containers are taken to the Tompkins County
Recycling Facility, then trucked to Philadelphia where they
are "hydropulped" (paper part removed). The plastic and aluminum
parts are trucked to New Jersey, where they are burned in a "waste-
to-energy" plant. Burning the plastic creates dioxin, which causes
birth defects and cancer downwind. Here are overpackaging details.
As well, Food packaging may contain carcinogens.
RETURN TO INDEX
---------------------------------

MISCELLANY:no dolphin safe tuna due to weakened purse seine
standards: "At least six to 10 percent of eastern spinner dolphin
mortality, and 10 to 15 percent of northeastern offshore spotted
dolphin mortality, is caused by the separation of baby dolphins from
their mothers during the chasing and netting process." --National
Marine Fisheries Service The current supply of GreenStar t-shirts
("Ithaca Is Gorges") were assembled in Honduras and El Salvador.
Chances are above 90% that these shirts are made by teenage girls
working long hours in brutal conditions for less than livable wages:

"Right now, no college code contains a provision that companies must
pay a living wage. But without this provision, we will not be able
to call our university clothing "sweatshop free."
"When I look at a college sweatshirt made in Honduras, I feel pretty
confident it was made in a sweatshop," said Ginny Coughlin, the
sweatshop campaign coordinator for United Needletrades, Industrial
and Textile Employees. T-Shirts & Sweatshop Watch & Sweatgear &
CISPES e-mail.
Here's an alternative: Union-made t-shirts
CHOCOLATE: Chocolate Slavery & Cadbury attacks chocolate slavery &
Thornton's against Chocolate Slavery. GreenStar has slavery-free
brands.
Corporate Agriculture Research Project & California's Central Valley
THIS PAGE IS BEING CONTINUALLY UPDATED AS MORE INFORMATION IS
GATHERED.
RETURN TO INDEX
---------------------------------

THE GOOD NEWS:
There are healthy and tasty alternatives in all of these food
categories, owned by companies which are locally/regionally- and/or
family-owned.
GreenStar's GreenFuture explains how GreenStar can help create more
locally-owned businesses to supply our health food needs.
Shopping is Voting (cartoon) dramatizes the difference between
corporate and co-op food supply.
Co-op members here and elsewhere have a lot of power: "Did you know
there are more than 48,000 cooperatives in the United States serving
120 million Americans and generating in excess of $500 billion in
economic activity? From childcare to healthcare, agriculture to
housing, electricity to telephone service, hardware stores to
grocery stores, credit unions to media outlets, cooperatives provide
Americans with the basic services they use everyday. Revenue
generated by cooperatives tends to stay in the community as it is
distributed to local members rather than removed shareholders.
Cooperatives exist not to generate a profit for themselves or
outside investors, as do other businesses, but rather to provide
goods and services at the lowest possible cost. With cooperatives
serving almost 40 percent of all Americans, cooperative members
comprise a significant percentage of the electorate." --Alison M.
Christie Marketing, Merchandising, & Member Services Manager,
GreenStar Cooperative Market, Inc.
Building a Green Store from the Ground Up
This web page therefore is created not only for GreenStar members
who care about environmental and labor issues, but for members of
all co-ops and all other grocery shoppers. Together we can create a
loyal national market for independent non-corporate organic brands,
and restrain small labels from selling to multinationals.
GreenStar's Mission Statement: "emphasizing and promoting locally
produced goods, and items made or distributed by other
cooperatives."

Co-op America's Green Pages is an inspirational portrait of the
variety of alternatives available.
http://www.mofga.org/mofgj00h.html">Organic Agriculture and the
Small Farm Crisis
GreenPeople and Organic Consumer's list thousands of alternative
brands.
Organic Certification
Community Food Security Coalition
The Food Alliance
Organic Means Local
PCC Natural Markets: A Partner in the Community
Harvest Co-ops
Links to Vegetarian Products -- The Vegetarian Resource Group
CROPP: largest organic farmers cooperative in North America (owns
Organic Valley) Loyalty to the farming members is the guiding
principle for CROPP's operations. "We plan to stay a cooperative,"
says Siemon. "We are not planning for growth so that we can sell to
a corporation or for a favorable business valuation; we have no exit
strategy." Quill's Apothecary in Buffalo, N.Y. sells natural
soaps. "When any of our suppliers is bought by a chain traded on the
stock market, we cease purchasing that brand." homemade skin care
Natural Organic CHIPS:
Here's a look at tortilla chip machines & Organic Production Index
Pecans for our pecan pies could be bought from this Georgia co-op of
black growers.
Consumer Reports water filter survey. water filter recycling
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---------------------------------

GreenStar Education CommitteeGreenStar's Mission Statement:
"Educating ourselves about the co-op, the goods we sell, and the
principles to which we subscribe."
To revive the founding purposes of GreenStar (favoring
regional/local producers, least packaging, boycotting companies
which damage nature and labor, educating members about these
issues), the following reforms are presented to GreenStar's board
and members:
1) Formation of an independent GreenStar Education Committee (not
appointed by the board) dedicated to bringing this information to
GreenStar's members.
2) Display space in the front of the store about these products, and
alternatives.
3) Placement on lower shelves for products which are owned by
publicly traded corporations.
4) Promotion and shelf prominence for regional products in these
product categories.
5) Color coding on shelves (red, yellow, green) to grade products
according to corporate ownership, packaging, environmental impacts,
labor impacts, local/regional ownership.
6) Creation of two superworker shifts for research into the above.
If GreenStar's board takes the initiative to enact these reforms,
then our co-op will get credit for upholding these values, and will
further distinguish GreenStar from Wegmans and Tops. The change of
product line will be orderly and will least affect our budget.
See our REFERENDUM to enact the above.
RETURN TO INDEX
GreenStar's Mission Statement: "...to build an alternative social
and economic structure..."
To join the GreenStar Members' Education Committee and/or provide
more information, contact Paul Glover (member since 1972) (607) 272-
4330, or Marlo Cappocia The GreenStar Members' Education Committee
has endorsed the following candidates for GreenStar's Council
(elections throughout April 2002): DISSIN, HARBER, RADIN, YOUNG,
ZWACK. See statements by all candidates at GreenStar's website and
at ithacanews.org/greenstar.candidates.html"

Shopping is Voting!

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Re: Help?! Eating healthy just got harder. Archive in diet.

Re: Help?! Eating healthy just got harder. Archive in diet.

Re: Help?! Eating healthy just got harder. Archive in diet.

Re: Help?! Eating healthy just got harder. Archive in diet.

Re: Help?! Eating healthy just got harder. Archive in diet.

Re: Help?! Eating healthy just got harder. Archive in diet.