Green Options

Like this post? Subscribe to our RSS feed and stay up to date.

At times, we consumers can feel a bit powerless in the wake of so many recalls of everything from food and medicine to toys, knowing that so little of these goods actually do get inspected, and often the inspection process fails. 2007 was a rough year in this capacity.

Last year, there were a record number of contaminated meat recalls, primarily from E. coli risks. Yet, it may surprise many people that despite its role as an inspector, the USDA does not have the legal authority to force a recall of meat and poultry product. It’s a frustrating situation. Indeed, in the wake of the record recalls, the only outcome by the USDA was to determine that a “study needed to be done on the situation.” In other words, little action by the USDA to address the situation and partial, voluntary recalls by the meat companies. Status quo.

And, then the Hallmark/Westmoreland products investigation hit the Web in the form of a video of shocking animal abuse and illegal use of downed cattle for human consumption, including school lunch programs. Actions that occurred despite twice a day visits from a USDA inspector.

The term Hallmark Holiday has become so popular, it even has a Wikipedia entry. The basic concept, of course, is that the holiday exists almost purely for commercial purposes. Many would argue that the days are actually invented by businesses as an excuse to sell, sell, sell.

Now, we know that Valentine's Day goes back a little further than Hallmark, but it certainly has become more and more commercial through the years. What these

[...]