There’s been a push lately for more explicit labeling of foods — to make sure that consumers know that what they’re buying is organic, or free-range, or natural, or GMO-free, etc. But these labels don’t tell the whole story. Sometimes, they’re outright lies.
For instance, “organic” veggies still contain plenty of pesticides. There are the natural pesticides that ordinarily occur in food, plus the organic-OK chemical pesticides that are routinely sprayed on the crops. And, bonus, you’re also very likely to find synthetic, presumably evil pesticides on your “organic” produce, too. To make this more clear, I propose that the “organic” label, itself, have a label. It could say something like “may or may not have more or less synthetic or natural pesticides or other chemicals than you expect.” That there’s an honest label!
But wait — that term, “natural” — that might not mean what consumers think it means, either. The word needs a label! Products that say “natural” can be treated with radiation (typically to prevent spoilage and extend shelf life), and natural produce can be grown with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. “Natural” products, as labeled, can even include what are known as “genetically modified organisms” or GMOs. So, to be clear, we’ll just put a label on that word, “natural”. Something like “may have been made with chemicals or processes that many would deem ‘un-natural’, but who knows?”
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