Activism for the Day

Here's a letter I sent on email today. Only took me a moment...not sure if it will make a difference, but I'm trying!
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Dear Christopher Ranch and West Seattle (Morgan Street) Thriftway,

Recently I bought some Christopher Ranch garlic from the organic section at the West Seattle Thriftway in Seattle, Washington. I have no complaints with the garlic itself - and I commend you for offering organic - but I am very concerned about the packaging.

Garlic, in particular, comes in it's own handy, resilient package. I do not understand why it is necessary or desireable to add packaging to a garden product that is already self contained, and it concerns me. One of the reasons that I buy organic is to prevent wear and tear on our earth, and it seems that extra packaging is not the way to go.

Could stores put a little "Christopher Ranch" sign next to the garlic, instead, if you want customers to know where the garlic came from? One sign would serve the same purpose - one little piece of cardboard instead of packaging on every single product. I'm sure it would save your company money, as well, as packaging isn't cheap.

The little blue plastic mesh bag is now in a landfill, forever. I'm recycling the piece of cardboard at the top…but that plastic will take thousands of years to degrade.

Please consider different options for packaging your garlic, including my favorite, which is no packaging at all.

I choose not to buy overpackaged products, and in the future, I will buy my garlic elsewhere, where it is not packaged in man-made materials, but sits in its own papery skin, ready for me to grab.

Thank you for your consideration.
Kristina Surface
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On another note, this morning I made a giant batch (sharing with multiple friends) of my favorite chicken-pasta-arugula salad (which, ironically, does not contain garlic). I mixed it up by adding steamed asparagus and fresh zuchinni, as I think that just about any veggies would be good in it (I kept the red onion, arugula, herbs, and cherry tomatoes that it calls for, as well).