9/22/12

Always Buy Organic: coffee. Almost all coffee is grown and harvested outside of the United States, and most of it is done in countries with lax environmental regulations. A USDA-certified organic roasted coffee means the beans were grown following strict U.S. laws prohibiting the use of any chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Remember, since it's impossible to wash coffee beans before brewing, whatever is left lingering on conventional beans will likely end up in your java.

9/21/12

Always Buy Organic: apples. Conventional apples are one of the most heavily sprayed crops, with more than 40 chemicals used to keep insects and fungus at bay. If finding organic apples is difficult, do the next-best thing and always buy organic applesauce and juice. Since it is impossible to know how well apples were cleaned before being processed into these popular snacks, err on the side of green by choosing organic.

9/20/12

Always Buy Organic: eggs. Organic eggs come from chickens that haven't been treated with antibiotics or given processed animal feed -- and they taste better, too! Free-range chickens eat only things that are tasty to them, like insects and fresh greens. Those foods lead to tastier eggs with denser yolks and harder shells. Look for farm-fresh eggs at local farmers markets to taste the difference.