Thursday, April 06, 2006

EWG & Foodnews

I can't remember what I was searching for on Google when I ran across this page, but the important thing is that I found it. It's the EWG, the Environmental Working Group.

This is how they describe themselves:

Our team of scientists, engineers, policy experts, lawyers and computer programmers pores over government data, legal documents, scientific studies and our own laboratory tests to expose threats to your health and the environment, and to find solutions.

Our research brings to light unsettling facts that you have a right to know. It shames and shakes up polluters and their lobbyists. It rattles politicians and shapes policy. It persuades bureaucracies to rethink science and strengthen regulation. It provides practical information you can use to protect your family and community.

I printed off a shopper's guide to pesticides in produce, a little folded card that tells me about those fruits and vegetables that are highest and lowest in pesticides. It tells you when to spend the extra money for organic, and when to save it!

Highest in Pesticides
These 12 popular fresh fruits and vegetables are consistently the most contaminated with pesticides — buy these organic.

• Apples
• Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Cherries
• Grapes (imported)
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Pears
• Potatoes
• Red Raspberries
• Spinach
• Strawberries

Lowest in Pesticides

These 12 popular fresh fruits and vegetables consistently have the lowest levels of pesticides.

• Asparagus
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Corn (sweet)
• Kiwi
• Mangos
• Onions
• Papaya
• Pineapples
• Peas (sweet)

If you go check out the EWG, you can use the Quick Index to find information easily. If you want information on pesticides in food, you can go to their page, Food News, and see a report card on produce for the best and worst produce choices for pesticides.

5 comments:

Ilva said...

Thanks Dawn for this interesting information! I will sure write it down!

Kristi said...

This is really interesting. Thanks for sharing this. I'm always so confused for shopping organic because I'm always asking myself "is it worth the extra money?" With this list, now I know when it is!

Dawn said...

Hi Ilva and Kristi, I thought this was a good site! I agree with you, you sometimes don't know if it's worth the money. They also have a printable pocket sized list that you can put in your purse, very handy indeed!

Michelle said...

This is a great site! I think I found this same list on google once, and taped it to my refridgerator, but the wallet size is much more helpful! Thanks Dawn!

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