 This has been said so many times that I'm not sure if it matters...
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Jun. 18th, 2010 @ 04:03 pm 
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I got salsa today.
This is a big deal for me, because you see, I really like salsa, and it has positive effects for my emotional state, and all sorts of things, but I only know of one kind of gluten-free salsa and lately it hasn't been available at supermarkets.
However, I e-mailed the company that makes it, who sent me the name of the one distributor in Western Australia they sell to. I phoned the distributor, who gave me the names of several shops they supply Jensen's Salsa to, and today I went to one of them and bought some.
(With some unexpectedly intense exertion because I had to kick-start my bike again, and apparently it doesn't like kick-starting on a hill.)
So here's a dilemma for you.
I am concerned about the environment and also about fair trade issues. (To come: A post on why a certain Republican congressman from Texas is a traitor to both his country and humanity at large.)
So what's the right choice in this situation?
The product: Peppermint tea.
Two choices.
One is Australian-produced, in New South Wales, which means it didn't have to be imported from overseas, although it did from interstate, and is unlikely to have involved criminal mistreatment of workers and the like. However, the teabags are individually foil-wrapped, which is not good from the perspective of resources involved in production or the generation of non-biodegradable trash.
The other is imported from the UK, the product of more than one country, which means there's been a fair amount of transport, but it is fair trade and the teabags are unbleached and not foil-wrapped; also the cardboard box is just cardboard, it's not all plasticised for gloss.
Which, in terms of conscientious shopping, is the better option?
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Neither: if you REALLY cared you would GROW AND DRY YOUR OWN TEA.
(Just kidding)
Yeah, I don't know. I'm not sure either option stands out as inherently better. Glad you found your salsa, anyway, it's always nice when that sort of thing happens.
While neither are particularly good, I would pick the one not in foil wrap. If I were feeling particularly well, and competent, and had some spare time all at once, I would write to the other company as well.
A third alternative - peppermint can be sourced from bulk food places (such as Kouks). It hadn't occurred to me to think about the ethical aspects of peppermint, so I don't know anything about where they source it from, but if I think of it next time I'm in I'll ask.
see oregon is one of the main peppermint sources FOR THE WORLD so I actually would just go down and buy it in bulk or whatever. idk is there a farmer's market? something?
also seriously it is really easy to grow, so if you are a serious addict you could just have a little pot on the windowsill or whatever.
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| From: | ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png) sami |
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June 19th, 2010 02:14 am (UTC) |
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I'm not really a serious addict. Also, if I had a peppermint plant, I would totally use the leaves fresh for various things. :D
Hello, I've been lurking, but I was intrigued by the mention of salsa. I'm confused... isn't salsa mainly tomatoes and peppers, with some onions, garlic, other vegetables, etc? It shouldn't contain any flour or wheat. (I have a jar of salsa with pineapple bits extra. It's lovely.) It shouldn't have gluten, that I know of, at all, unless I'm mistaking something crucial about tomatoes and the other vegetables. Is this a small amount in some brands' recipes (which if you're sensitive, is of course still bad), or am I mixing up salsa with something else here?
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| From: | sami |
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June 19th, 2010 02:14 am (UTC) |
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No, salsa is exactly what you're thinking of. The issue is actually the vinegar a lot of manufacturers use - most vinegars are produced from wheat derivatives. (It's like how anything made with yeast is likely to be unsafe, because most yeast is grown on wheat. Gluten *lurks*.)
Also, some salsas just have "may contain traces of" warnings, for reasons unknown - possibly to do with products made in the same plant, or suchlike.
Aha, I see. *Makes note about vinegar.* It's possible to make your own salsa, but it seems to involve sauteeing a lot of peppers and chopping tomatoes and other veggies, and all in all you'd probably rather buy the stuff, if possible.
For the tea, I can tell you from experience that mint plants are easy to grow, and the only problem is that they'll take over a lot of ground once they're established, unless you keep them carefully in a pot. And the leaves smell wonderful both on and off the plant.
In my opinion: The one that costs less money. Since the difference here is pretty small, this will free you up to spend more money on environmentally-conscious items where there is a clear difference.
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