Redefining Organic
This project aims to inform consumers if their food is completely sustainable, including packaging, shipment, pesticide use, and other factors. Many people end up paying extra money to buy organic produce, personal care products, textiles, and more. But are these products actually sustainable for the environment? Currently, an “organic” label can mean anything from 70% – 100% pesticide free, and in many cases, is very loosely enforced. All products should cause minimal impact on the environment.
Redefining Organic had the goal of creating a list of the most important factors influencing a product’s sustainability, then using those criteria to evaluate a sustainability score. This would be more specific than “organic” and easy for customers to understand.
Ultimately, I realized the complexity of this issue — it’s not something that can really be easily evaluated in one year, or even four. Yet even though I was not actually able to create an app as I initially intended, I discovered firsthand the importance of transparency. Especially in the United States, where so many items in the consumption chain are made out of sight and out of mind, hearing the stories behind the products is a first step towards greater change.
