In case you didn't know...

Virginia has been excellent thanks in part to the amazing crew at all of the Whole Foods we've visited so far. We are all looking forward to the Natural Food Expo in Baltimore, and then GreenFest is just around the corner! Time continues to fly by, and we have begun counting down the days of the tour (Less than 6 months left!) There are still worlds of information to collect and share, and we haven't a moment to waste.

Since the world of organics and sustainable practices has started to really gain steam, there seem to be new certifications and labels appearing everyday. I found it difficult to wrap my head around what all of these could mean, and which ones I could really trust. I have started to do some research and while I am still learning, I certainly don't want to keep all of this information to myself. One of the certifications that I have started to see more often and didn't know much about is the Rainforest Alliance certification. Here are some highlights of what I found:

The Rainforest Alliance is an organization based in New York working towards changing business, farming, and tourism into sustainable practice. Their mission is to provide information and standards that not only hold businesses accountable for their practices, but also allow farmers to better their environment and allow consumers to make educated choices in the products they buy. The Rainforest Alliance is a third party certification available to those that “reduce environmental impacts and increase social benefits”. Those that bear the frog logo seal are assured to be agricultural and forestry businesses that meet the strict standards of social and environmental sustainability of this third party. (Being an independent certifier with transparent practices means you can be pretty well assured that they are a trustworthy source) Those involved in the Rainforest Alliance not only work with farmers, businesses, and tourism groups, but also provide educational opportunities to ensure that future generations will carry on these standards.

This is just the tip of the iceburg of what the Rainforest Alliance offers to farmers, businesses, and consumers like you. I highly encourage anyone reading this to visit www.rainforest-alliance.org and find out more about their transparent yet strict standards, the education they offer, and how you can do your part to help!

Keep on reading and I will continue to post on different certifiers, organizations, and positive practices. The more we know, the more say we all have in the way this world is run.

So now it's off to bed, we will be at the Fairfax, VA store tomorrow so if you're in the area come visit! We love to see your smiling faces.
Peace and love,
Dani