Is it true that Burt’s Bees—maker of those natural creams and lipsticks—isn’t owned by that avuncular character on the labels but by the industrial giant Clorox? Is the Nestle boycott still on? What is that for again? Do the ice cream mavens Ben and Jerry still support local Vermont dairy farms?
If you are trying to shop ethically, it can be confusing and hard to keep up. Some issues that can arise are greenwashing (a marketing ploy that gives the impression that products are better for the environment than they are); keeping track of who owns whom (for example, a seemingly small, local company may be bought by huge conglomerates); and finally, labeling regulations (you can put almost anything on labels).
JP Davidson is trying to overhaul his buying habits to become greener. With help from Adria Vasil, an author and writer of the Ecoholic column for Toronto’s free weekly, Now Magazine, he found a couple of apps that assisted in his journey. (Spoiler alert: Don’t buy Bumble bee or CloverLeaf Tuna. I already know that, at least).
Ethical Barcode lets you scan a product and it will tell you a variety of things, including if it was tested on animals, its impact on the oceans, how sustainable the packaging is, and even how many women are on the company’s board of directors.
Buycott lets people start campaigns against some food product practices. “Demand GMO Labeling” is one of their most successful campaigns. It has nearly 400,000 users signed on. So that means, in theory at least, almost half a million people are scanning products and when they find those that are sold by companies that have worked to prevent GMO labeling (such as Pepsi, Nestle and Kellogg), they don’t buy them. And that started with just one person on Buycott.com.
When anyone talks about food labeling, the discussion often ends up on whether or not GMOs (or other ingredients), which should be on the label, are in the tomato sauce. (Shouldn’t everything be on the label?) This has been a huge fight in the U.S.
You may have heard the acronym, or even know what the acronym stands for, but you may be wondering what on Earth are GMOs. Tyler Sanville at Greenpeace USA has written about this a lot and helps us define a GMO, or a genetically modified organism: “any plant or animal that has had their cells changed by scientists in a lab and altered by genes from other plants, animals, viruses, or bacterias.” GMOs were recently introduced, in the early 90s, so they’ve only been part of our diets for the past 20 years. This is why there are safety and health concerns.
It’s one thing to not eat toxins. It’s another to keep them out of clothes and shoes.
Kevin Stairs, Greenpeace’s chemicals policy director in Europe, told me that when babies are born today, most of them carry at least 200 chemicals that are foreign to nature in their bodies. And the threat from toxic chemicals is growing over time.
But why concentrate on shoes? As Kevin explained, the textile and shoe sectors use a host of toxic chemicals, yet they try to portray themselves as very green and sustainable. Last year, Greenpeace was very successful in asking companies to detox the clothing and shoes they sell.
The chemicals used in making these products, such as polyfluorinated chemicals or PFCs, can accumulate in the environment and can show up in our water systems. They can damage our immune and reproductive systems and some are also linked to thyroid disease. Adidas has committed to being toxic-free by 2020 and to phasing out 99 percent of all PFCs from its clothing by the end of 2017. Puma has also agreed to eliminate hazardous chemicals from its products and supply chain, and ensure 100 percent of all its products are PFC-free by the end of the same year.
Listen below to the Greenpeace Podcast: Detox Your Shopping. Vote With Your Wallet. Is There an App for That?:
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Here are three new films to watch this Earth Week that will transport you from pole to pole and introduce you to the scientists and activists working to save our shared home.
1. The Year Earth Changed
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When to Watch: From April 16
The coronavirus pandemic has brought home the stakes of humanity's impact on the environment. But the lockdowns also proved how quickly nature can recover when humans give it the space. Birds sang in empty cities, whales surfaced in Glacier Bay and capybara roamed the South American suburbs.
The Year Earth Changed captures this unique year with footage from more than 30 lockdowned cities between May 2020 to January 2021. Narrated by renowned wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough, the film explores what positive lessons we can take from the experience of a quieter, less trafficked world.
"What the film shows is that the natural world can bounce back remarkably quickly when we take a step back and reduce our impact as we did during lockdown," executive producer Alice Keens-Soper of BBC Studios Natural History Unit told EcoWatch. "If we are willing to make even small changes to our habits, the natural world can flourish. We need to learn how to co-exist with nature and understand that we are not separate from it- for example if we closed some of our beaches at for a few weeks during the turtle breeding we see that it can make a huge difference to their success. There are many ways that we can adapt our behavior to allow the natural world to thrive as it did in lockdown."
2. After Antarctica
Where to Watch: San Francisco International Film Festival
When to Watch: 12 a.m. PST April 9 to 11:59 p.m. April 18
In 1989, Will Steger led an international team of six scientists and explorers to be the first humans to cross Antarctica by dogsled. Steger and his team weren't just in it for the adventure. They also wanted to draw attention to the ways in which the climate crisis was already transforming the icy continent and to rally support for the renewal of the Antarctic Treaty, which would keep the continent safe from extractive industries.
In After Antarctica, award-winning filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt follows Steger 30 years later as he travels the Arctic this time, reflecting on his original journey and once again bringing awareness to changes in a polar landscape. The film intersperses this contemporary journey with footage from the original expedition, some of which has never been seen before.
"Will's life journey as an explorer and climate activist has led him not only to see more of the polar world than anyone else alive today, but to being an eyewitness to the changes occurring across both poles," Van Zandt told EcoWatch. "But now, these changes are happening in all of our own backyards and we have all become eyewitnesses. Through my journey with Will, I have learned that although we cannot always control change, we can change our response. I feel strongly that this is a message that resonates when we look at the current state of the world, as we each have power and control over how we choose to respond to hardships, and we all have the power to unite with others through collective action around a common goal."
After Antarctica is available to stream once you purchase a ticket to the San Francisco International Film Festival. If you miss it this weekend, it will screen again at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival from May 13 to May 23.
Tasha Van Zandt
3. The Race to Save the World
Where to Watch: Virtual Cinema
When to Watch: From Earth Day, April 22
While many films about the climate crisis seek to raise awareness about the extent of the problem, The Race to Save the World focuses on the people who are trying to stop it. The film tells the story of climate activists ranging from 15-year-old Aji to 72-year-old Miriam who are working to create a sustainable future. It follows them from the streets to the courtroom to their homes, and explores the impact of their advocacy on their personal lives and relationships.
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Gantz told EcoWatch that he wanted to make a film about climate change, but did not want to depress viewers with overwhelming statistics. Instead, he chose to inspire them by sharing the stories of people trying to make a difference.
"Unless millions of people take to the streets and make their voices heard for a livable future, the politicians are not going to get on board to help make the changes needed for a sustainable future," Gantz told Ecowatch. "I think that The Race To Save The World will energize and inspire people to take action so that future generations, as well as the plants, animals and ecosystems, can survive and thrive on this planet."
Check back with EcoWatch on the morning of Earth Day for a special preview of this inspiring film!
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