conscious consumption 203
peaches, strawberries, pears, apples, cherries, cantaloupe, green
beans, bell peppers, celery, cucumber, potatoes, tomatoes, peas,
and lettuce. The imported fruits and vegetables that are usually
most contaminated with pesticides include grapes, nectarines,
peaches, pears, strawberries, cherries, cantaloupe, apples, bell
peppers, lettuce, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, green beans, broc-
coli, peas, and carrots. To obtain your own pocket - size, colorful,
and complimentary copy, simply order it from http://www.organic - center
.org/reportfi les/TOC_Pocket_Guide.pdf.
The other advantage that organic certifi cation offers is that it
is the best guarantee you have that the product does not contain
genetically modifi ed foods. Because almost all sugar beets grown
in the United States are GM, as well as 90 percent of the soybeans,
90 percent of the cotton, and 80 percent of all corn, it would also be
worthwhile to prioritize these as organic purchases. (GM beet sugar
might simply be listed as “ sugar, ” so look for organic cane sugar or
honey instead.) For example, you may have noticed that your Week 2
menu for Saturday ’ s lunch specifi es organic corn chips, which
reminds you to buy organic corn products.
Another way to buy more nutritious and usually less chemically
laden foods is by buying locally, which often allows you the plea-
sure of meeting the farmer who grew the food. Like most impor-
tant and critically needed changes in culturally created problems,
the power of the people ’ s voices is changing our food - procurement
options and improving our quality of food more than anything our
public servants have done. Farmer ’ s markets and food co - ops are
becoming very popular and are often able to provide superior nutri-
tional value for less cost. Since 1994, the USDA has published
the National Directory of Farmers Markets, which lists all farmer ’ s
markets operating in the United States; it is updated every two
years. In 1994, the USDA documented 1,755 farmer ’ s markets,
and in 2008, there were 4,685. The USDA Web site will lead you
to the closest farmer ’ s market in your area ( http://www.ams.usda.gov/
farmersmarkets/ ). My favorite source is direct from the closest
organic farmer; simply go to http://www.localharvest.org and explore the
community - supported agriculture (CSA) and other farmers after