Although many consumers today know that experts recommend organic foods and products, most are not sure why. And not surprising considering your local grocery store is packed full of so-called "organic" and "natural" products. So what does "organic" really mean?

Organic foods are produced according to certain production standards. For crops, it means they were grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. For animals, it means they were reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones.

The truth is that in most countries, companies have the freedom to label their products as "natural" or "organic" when in reality they contain little or no actual natural or organic ingredients and in fact contain many harmful chemicals including known carcinogens. So how do you know if you're buying a truly organic product?

In Canada, as of November 2006, the government implemented a law that demands companies to disclose ingredients on personal care products. However, producers are forced to use the INCI (International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredients) naming convention to list their ingredients. While thankfully today there is a common standard for manufacturers, there is growing confusion among consumers as the INCI names, while universal, are not easily recognizable. For example; Avocado Oil would be listed as Persea gratissima oil or Aloe Vera Juice would be listed as Aloe barbadensis juice. So to lessen the confusion for consumers, manufacturers are forced to include both the INCI name and the more commonly know name. This can sometimes lead to a very long list of ingredients, when in reality the ingredients are quite minimal.

To be certain you are buying a truly organic product, you want to ensure that 95% or more of the ingredients are certified organic. You also, want to ensure that there are no chemicals listed in the ingredients. Chemicals to avoid include:

1. Diethanolamine (DEA): A suspected carcinogen common in shampoos, body wash, and makeup. Cocamide DEA, MEA, and TEA my be contaminated with DEA.
2. Formaldehyde: You might not see it on your ingredient list, but this carcinogen is found in imidazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin and quaternium-15. Formaldehyde can evaporate into the air when the product is wet.
3. Parabens: All type of parabens (methyl, ethyl, etc.) have been found to be estrogenic - meaning they mimic female hormones. Parabens have been found in breast tumour samples but haven't been conclusively linked to cancer.
4. Petrolatum: Comes from non-renewable crude oil, kind of like tanking up at the pump. Not breathable. Mineral oil is also petroleum-based.
5. Penylenedeiamine (PPD): Also goes by the name of P-diaminobenzene. Found in brown and black hair dyes, it has been tied to increases in bladder cancer in long-term frequent users.
6. Phthalates: You'll rarely see this controversial family of hormone disruptors listed on labels. It's often tucked away under the ingredient "fragrance".
7. Sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate (SLS): Skin irritants; laureth is less irritating than lauryl, but can still cause dryness. Found not to cause cancer after much suspicion, but not everyone's convinced.
8. Talc: A powder found in everything from eye shadow and blush to baby powder and deodorant. Any talc that's contaminated with asbestos fibres is a recognized carcinogen. The U.S. Department of Health's National Institutes of Health (NIH) voted to have all talc (even the non-asbestos-tainted stuff) categorized as a probable carcinogen, but it was voted down by another government body.
9. Toluene: This powerful solvent is found in nail polishes. Long-term exposure affects the nervous system, liver and kidney. It can also contribute to smog, making it an all-around bad guy.
10. Triclosan: An antibacterial chemical used in everything. It's building up in our river sand sewage sludge and can turn into carcinogenic dioxins when exposed to sunlight in water. It has been found in breast milk and has been banned by U.K. supermarkets.

SOME STARTLING FACTS

• Children receive 50% of their lifetime cancer risks in the first two years of life.
  - US EPA 2003. Draft Final Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment. EPA/630/P-03/001A Washington, DC.
• In blood samples of children aged 2-4, concentrations of pesticide residues are six times higher in children eating conventionally farmed fruits and vegetables compared with those eating organic food.
  - MAFF (1998) 'Orchards and fruit stores in Great Britain 1996', Pesticide Usage Survey Report 142, MAFF publications, London
• Childhood cancers are up 21%, asthma rates are 4 times higher than they were in the 80's and birth defects are on the rise.
  - Ecoholic, Adria Vasil.
• Over 400 chemicals can be regularly used in conventional farming… apples can be sprayed up to 16 times with 36 different pesticides.
  - MAFF (1998) 'Orchards and fruit stores in Great Britain 1996', Pesticide Usage Survey Report 142, MAFF publications, London
• The average adult uses 9 personal care products a day, containing a grand total of 126 chemical ingredients, according to a report by the Environmental Working Group.
  - Ecoholic, Adria Vasil.
• There are roughly 10,500 chemical ingredients stirred into the personal care product that line shelves.
  - Ecoholic, Adria Vasil.

WHY FAIR TRADE?

Fair Trade is an international system of doing business based on dialogue, transparency and respect and contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions for producers and workers in developing countries. Behind the principles and goals of Fair Trade is a rigorous international system of monitoring, auditing and certification.

Fair Trade's strategic intent is:

• To work with marginalized producers and workers in order to help them move from a position of vulnerability to security and economic self-sufficiency
• To empower producers and workers as stakeholders in their own organizations
• To play a wider role in the global arena to achieve greater equity in international trade

WHY RECYCLE?

Recycling is the reprocessing of materials into new products and generally prevents the waste of potentially useful materials, reduces the consumption of raw materials and reduces energy usage, and hence greenhouse gas emissions, compared to virgin production. While most of us are familiar with this term, recent advances in recycling technology have increased the options available for using recycled materials.

WHY RENEWABLE RESOURCES?

A resource is considered renawable if it is replenished by natural processes at a rate comparable to its rate of consumption by humans or other users. Resources such as solar radiation, tides, and winds are perpetual resources that are in no danger of being used in excess of their long-term availability. Renewable resources may also include commodities such as wood, paper, and leather.