Where's the (organic) beef? Greensbury Market can deliver it nationwide. (Photo via Greensbury Market website)
Let’s say that you are an omnivore who recognizes the environmental benefits of eating organic meats, but you live in a benighted area where organic food choices are few and far between.
What’s such an eco-conscious consumer to do?
One option is to get your organic beef, chicken and pork via mail-order from Greensbury Market, which says that it procures all its vittles from producers who raise animals without antibiotics, synthetic hormones, or synthetic pesticides.
Greensbury was kind enough to send me some complimentary meats for a little taste test, so I’m able to confirm the mouth appeal of both the organic top sirloin steak (most prized of the sirloin varieties according to Wikipedia) and the organic boneless skinless chicken breast.
On its process page, Greensbury explains how it uses flash freezing and individual wrapping to reduce the risk of freezer burn and seal in flavor and juiciness.
I can’t quibble the quality of the meat, but the shipping and packing (which involves both plastic for the meat itself, plus a foam container and dry ice to keep the meats cool) don’t seem so eco-friendly.
The questions that Green consumer face don’t always have obvious answers. Which is better for the planet? Buying organic meats online and dealing with the packaging waste? Or getting into a car and driving to a store that may not have good organic options?
If you do decide to go the Greensbury route, it probably makes sense stock up on meat for the next several month. Greensbury says its packaging should allow the meat to do just fine in the freezer for up to 6 months without risk of freezer burn. Buying in bulk will let you minimize the environmental costs of the shipping and packaging.
Where to buy:
Online via Greensbury Market’s website. Prices aren’t cheap ($9.99 per 8-ounce grass fed top sirloin steak, $15.99 for four 5-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts), but quality is quite good. You can pay a bit less for the beef if you choose the grass-and-grain fed variety over the pure grass-fed variety, but grass-fed beef may be the healthier and more eco-friendly choice.
You can feel secure stocking up on steaks and chops knowing that Greensbury stands behind its products with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Disclosure – Greensbury Market gave me some chicken and beef samples to eat.
4 responses so far ↓
Paul Frank // December 1, 2009 at 3:12 pm |
We would be remiss here not to at least mention the environmental inefficiency of eating meat–meat requires 10 to 20 times the resources to acquire the same nutritional result.
One of the most powerful ways to reduce your environmental impact is to eat less meat. We can leave pure vegetarianism for the true ecowarriors. Just smaller portions, Meatless Tuesdays, one burger and not two, or whatever works for you can make a big difference.
That said, we can applaud ourselves for among other things purchasing grass-fed–(I am assuming that means they are in the pasture)–animals and bypassing the extensive water pollution of the feedlot animals that prevail in our supermarkets. I kind of think of all this like my paycheck except instead of money I have so many ecological indulgences to spend that determines how I mark my passage here on Earth.
aarondalton // December 1, 2009 at 11:03 pm |
Bravo, Paul.
I applaud your message and your sentiment.
Thanks for reading.
- Aaron Dalton, Editor, 1GreenProduct.com
Rachel // November 18, 2009 at 10:03 am |
If you live in Southeastern Michigan… try John Henry’s pastured meat. It’s great and buying local reduces emissions from shipping. http://www.johnhenrys.net/2068703.html
aarondalton // November 19, 2009 at 5:54 pm |
Thank you for the suggestion, Rachel!
- Aaron Dalton, Editor, 1GreenProduct.com