Fair trade and organic dining

One of the simplest ways to prioritize social justice and ecology in your day-to-day life is to incorporate socially and environmentally responsible food choices into your lifestyle.

Organic food

Choosing organic food means saving the earth, yourself and other species in the food chain from a good deal of toxic substances. If an item is certified organic, that means no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or growth hormones and antibiotics were used in growing food and raising livestock.

If you eat meat, eating organic meat has the most impact because concentrations of pesticides intensify as you go up the food chain.

These days, a wide variety of foods are certified organic, including fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, dairy products, spices, sugars and many prepared products, even alcohols.

When shopping:

• Look for the organic certifier's logo on the packaging.
• Look for the country or region of origin on the tag. Local products generate the least amount of greenhouse gas emissions during transportation.

Fair Trade foods

Fair Trade products are usually grown on agricultural cooperatives from southern countries. Workers are paid a decent price for their labour and the means to improve their quality of life and communities.

In Canada, Fair Trade certified foods include coffee, tea, sugar, cocoa, chocolate, rice, bananas and spices.

When shopping:

• Look for the products that bear the Fair Trade logo.
• Look for the organic certifier's logo. Canadian brands are certified by Transfair.

Find out more about fair trade and organic food offerings available in Quebec.