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Is Organics still green?
“We now have millions of people buying organic in a committed way. But there's a tightrope to be walked: we must promote organic farming, but not industrialised organic production. We have to protect the philosophy of the founders and the principles, which is why, after all, people buy the stuff. Food and agriculture are central to the problems of climate change and the post-peak oil world.”
Patrick Holden, Soil Association director, being interviewed in The Observer, 1 October 2006With sales of organic food booming ‘is organics still green?’ asks the Observer
Alex Renton takes a look at the popularity of organics and at the issue of supply and demand leading to supermarkets importing organic food. Patrick Holden, Soil Association director, says, 'I don't think we could use [Soil Association] certification as a block on imports. Where would we draw the line? I'm more in favour of making it expensive to ship products across the world, the "new protectionism". But we are going to look at the issue of air-freight.' Holden goes on to say, 'There are two views you can take of supermarkets. You can say, "They're all bastards", or you can say, "Supermarkets are us - they reflect what we want, and it's up to us to make them change." I take the latter view. I think we hold the cards, not them. So our policy is one of constructive engagement.' To read the article click here (1 Oct)
The ‘green jetsetters’‘In the past year the directors and chief executives of groups such as WWF, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the Soil Association have crisscrossed the globe, visiting the Falklands, Japan, Africa and Brazil’ reports Jonathan Leake of The Times. ‘All are running high-profile campaigns to persuade people to change their lifestyles and cut emissions of carbon dioxide. […] Patrick Holden, director of the Soil Association, who has flown this year to Japan, America (twice) and four European destinations, generating about six tons of CO2 said, “I am deeply concerned about my flying. I am campaigning for a solution but I am still part of the problem.” To read the article click here (1 Oct)
Soil Association comment: The Soil Association has an existing transport policy which is currently under review to bring it up to date with current climate change concerns. As an interim measure recent international flights have been carbon offset.
