Journal Summer 2019

By James Dills A shift has and is happening under our noses. Natural has gone mainstream, and large corporations are clamoring for a piece of the pie. Co-ops and independent retailers are in the perfect position to pull this industry forward in ways that honor people and planet or risk becoming irrelevant in a sea of green-washed businesses. If anyone can steer the direction of the natural products industry, it is us. It has always been co-ops and grassroots efforts [Read More]

Review by Joe Wade, Provender Board member Book Review: Hippie Food – How Back-to-the-Landers, Longhairs, and Revolutionaries Changed the Way We Eat by Jonathan Kauffman How do we think of our times? The “we” in that question refers to the crowd that gathers each October to celebrate the continued life of our movement and the Provender Alliance. Together we carved a niche that in our lifetime has become the Grand Canyon of natural foods and natural products in America. Millions [Read More]

by Carolee Colter, Columinate (previously known as CDS Consulting Co-op) For 20 years Sam Vandegrift has worked with wine and beer—from retail buyer to sommelier to wholesaler. Now he consults with independent retailers and co-ops to grow their specialty beverage sections to meet the needs of their customers. Like other business sectors, the wine and beer business is going through a wave of consolidation. Independent Mom & Pop stores are phasing out as the second or third generation retires, [Read More]

by Fair World Project “We cannot live on $0.90 per pound.” That’s the message that the coffee farmers behind SPP Global sent to the global coffee industry in April. Coffee is trading on the commodity market* at historically low prices, well below the cost of production. The situation for coffee farmers is increasingly dire. Headlines often tout the coming end of coffee due to climate change, but the reality is not a distant apocalypse. It’s happening as we speak. Coffee [Read More]

by Amy Pereira, BS, CHNC, RTY-200, C-MI No summer-focused skin and body care conversation would be complete without mention of lavender. Organic lavender hydrosol and essential oil (EO) are wonderful to have on hand as temperatures rise, layers are shed and more of ourselves are exposed to the elements; but they’re not the only organic aromatherapy items that may serve us this summer.  While hundreds of organic essential oils, hydrosols, and virgin plant oils exist, let’s look at this short [Read More]

By Mountain Rose Herbs When thinking about ways to enjoy the aromatic and palate-pleasing essences of herbs and spices, many of us think of culinary preparations. While food is the most commonly enjoyed way to incorporate plants into our lives (and bodies), botanical drinks are quickly growing in popularity. They are an equally fun and sense-awakening way to connect with beneficial plants, and for many of us, botanical drinks are a whole new world to explore. Typically, when we see [Read More]

by Sprague Pest Solutions A stored product pest infestation is no picnic for a QA or facility manager An infestation in mills, processing plants, bulk storage facilities or grocery stores can result in wasted production time, lost sales and weakened consumer confidence, fines and damage to your brand. It can also lead to a costly product recall and additional unbudgeted expenses to replace spoiled products, deep cleaning of equipment and contracts for additional pest management services. One way to reduce [Read More]

By Sweet Creek Foods What does it look like as a regional producer expanding our line-up with new products? Well, we just launched an organic green tomatillo salsa, a zesty addition made from locally grown Pacific Northwest ingredients and crafted in small batches for premium quality and flavor. Also, we’ve added a new organic jalapeño relish – medium, a spin-off of our popular relish line and a cousin to our Pickled Jalapeños.  If you’re really looking to spice things up, [Read More]

The Summer issue of the Green Living Journal is now on the Street at over 650 locations, as well as online. This issue’s theme is “Resilience”. Now more than ever is the time to work together and raise our voices for change. We speak, not for ourselves, but for the generations to come. Their world will be shaped by how we face the challenge of climate change today. We believe that individuals with practical knowledge and ideas for incorporating renewable [Read More]