Daily Dish the Sonoma Market blog
Extraordinary Sustainability: Vote with Your Fork!
Please note that this is an older article. Any products or services pictured or described may have changed or may no longer be available. Thank you for visiting!
We all know voting is important, but did you know the foods you choose to purchase can also be a form of everyday, edible election? The term is actually called “voting with your fork,” because you place your values onto the food you purchase, which causes more of that food to be produced, thus affecting the market as a whole!
We all know voting is important, but did you know the foods you choose to purchase can also be a form of everyday, edible election? The term is actually called “voting with your fork,” because you place your values onto the food you purchase, which causes more of that food to be produced, thus affecting the market as a whole!
As an example, when you choose to purchase Clover Sonoma Milk (voting with your glass), you are supporting:
- The local economy: Most of the milk is sourced from farms in Northern California, and all of the milk is sourced from within California.
- Family business: All the milk is sourced from family farms with a smaller than average herd size.
- Organic agriculture: Their organic line of milk is certified by the USDA to ensure that cows are pasture-raised, not treated with hormones and raised on non-GMO grass and feed that is free from synthetic inputs. Organic promotes soil health, clean water systems and compost production, all of which are extremely important for the dairy industry!
- Humane treatment of animals: The dairy is certified by the American Humane Association which requires cows have freedom from hunger and thirst, discomfort, pain, injury, disease, fear and distress, and have the ability to express normal behavior.
- Giving back: The dairy is B-Corp certified which means that their business promises to benefit their communities. Also, they are a partner of 1% for the Planet, where 1% of all proceeds from their Omega-3 line of milk will be donated to Plastic Pollution Coalition, an organization fighting plastic pollution.
- Lowering the carbon footprint of the dairy industry one milk bottle at a time: Organic milk purchased in the half gallon and quart sizes are now being made with 100% renewable materials—when you break it down, the ratio is 88% Forest Stewardship Council Certified paper, 12% non-GMO sugarcane lining and 100% non-plastic! Generally, milk that comes in half gallon and quarts use aseptic packaging which is a container made from paper and reinforced with a plastic lining, sealed with a plastic cap. Using 100% renewable materials generates 35% less CO2 than a traditional milk bottle!
Look for these and other products that stand for values and causes you care about the next time you go grocery shopping! Pro Tip: You can use our Lifestyle Icons to help.
