paul baier- vp of sustainability consulting at groom energy and senior contributor at greenbiz.com has me a little hot under the greenwashed collar with his article on whole foods: the greenest grocery store in the world.
granted: in a very transparent manner, wf buildings exemplify local & renewable-resource-rich materials choices, increased daylighting, and waste reduction. these long-term investments in energy efficiency, in the productivity & health of their workers, and in the local economy speak volumes; they provide a showcase of sustainable building to the many who support whole foods with their dollars.
pity that whole foods isn't walking their talk. wf has an opportunity to follow-through on "green design" beyond self-congratulatory physical plant demonstrations. the MOST AUTHENTICALLY GREEN GROCERY STORE IN THE WORLD WOULD MAINTAIN THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE. in 2011, after twelve years of high global environmental and ethical standards and opposition to monsanto's genetically-engineered crops,"green" whole foods has abandoned the nation's organic farmlands. asking monsanto to pay "compensation" to organic farmers for "any losses related to the contamination of crops" is little more than a superficial attempt by whole foods to protect their own reputation. the livelihoods of farmers are the tip of the iceberg. an AUTHENTICALLY GREEN GROCERY STORE DOES NOT INVEST IN SUBSIDIES THAT SUPPORT PRACTICES THAT change the nutritional content of food (shorter growing cycles crops), that threaten the existence of beneficial insects, and that alter, fundamentally entire ecosystems. this demand for monetary compensation demonstrates a complete abandonment of the very ecological principles that define sustainability.
in march of this year, the UN finally acknowledged reports studying the important role of small farms and biodynamic, web-honoring principles to sustainable, safe food systems. The UN is acknowledging the systemic dangers of GMO practices. surely voicing support of the UN would be good for business, whole foods.
walk your talk.
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