GE-Free Solutions pilot helps restaurants and diners rethink GMO
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Karen Hamilton
April 22, 2009
Happy Earth Day, everyone!
I’m marking the occasion with a topic that has caught my attention over the past year — GMOs — and what some people in Vancouver are doing about it.
What’s a GMO, you ask?
It’s any living thing that has been exposed to genetic modification. I’m not talking Mendel here. More like Mutant X.
If you’re thinking, like I once did, that there was no way I was going to let shady organisms like that into my diet…well, sorry folks. It’s already in your diet…unless you have abstained from soy, corn, canola, vegetable oil, and honey in the past decade, which few people can say for sure.
When I first met Nigel Tunnacliffe of GE-Free Solutions at EPIC 2008, finding out that I was already eating GMO foods scared the living daylights out of me. However, the skeptic in me required further research, so for the following 2 months, I read up on the issue, from Monsanto’s point of view to the non-GMO extremists. My verdict? Crap, I wish I knew which foods were untainted, to be safe!
Unfortunately for North America, there isn’t a regulated infrastructure of labelling foodstuffs as genetically modified (in Europe, this practice is widespread). This is what organizations like GE-Free Solutions and GE-Free BC have been attempting to improve. Both are actively working to raise consumer awareness about the suspect stuff we’ve been ingesting and approaching government and business to be forthcoming.
An Ocean Wise for GMOs
Nigel has enlisted 7 restaurants in the Lower Mainland to participate in a pilot program for genetic engineering (GE) verification, which is similar in concept to Ocean Wise.
By participating in the GE-Free pilot, these restaurants are required to develop at least five verified non-GE items on their menu by working with local, organic suppliers.
“We all have the right to know what’s in our food,” said Nigel at the launch of the pilot program at Great Bear Pub. And with genetically engineered ingredients present in more than 70% of processed food, the push for a change in the way we eat is starting to gain legs.
Below, you’ll find an intro to each of the participating restaurants, whose GE-Free menu items will be featured for the next 3 months. On each successive menu launch, participants will contribute up to 25% of their GE-Free menu sales to a charity dear to them.
GE-Free Pilot Program Participants
Agro Café
1207 Hamilton Street, Yaletown
1363 Railspur Alley, Granville Island
Agro Café grows and roasts their own beans and offer their fair trade, certified organic coffee in their Yaletown and Granville Island locations. It’s my go-to place for roast beef paninis and Cloverized brew, as I have mentioned before.
Launch day TBA.
babyeats
143-1233 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver
Babyeats offers delicious breakfast, lunch and dessert for you to enjoy while they take care of your kids.
On their launch day on April 10th, babyeats donated 25% of sales to the Make a Wish Foundation.
Current Coffee
4737 Victory Street, Burnaby
Current Coffee works to provide the best coffee in conjunction with 49th Parallel Roasters while choosing environmental friendly methods for their coffee deliveries. Current Coffee offers barista training, coffee catering as well as weekly coffee delivery service to your office.
Launch day TBA.
The Great Bear Pub
175-5665 Kingsway, Burnaby
The Great Bear Pub offers West Coast style pub food and entertainment and they aim to be the “greenest pub” in BC. Great Bear Pub is also the only Ocean Wise pub in Greater Vancouver.
Launch Day: April 26th
During their new GE-Free menu launch, Great Bear Pub will donate 25% of their sales to the Ride to Conquer Cancer, which benefits the BC Cancer Foundation.
Nature’s Garden Organic Deli
8969 University High Street, Burnaby
Located in the SFU campus, Nature’s Garden is committed to providing local and organic produce to the customers.
All of their items have been verified – way to go!
On their launch date on April 9th, Nature’s Garden donated a portion of their sales to the Union Gospel Mission.
Peake of Catering
4501 Main Street, Vancouver
Peake of Catering is dedicated to using locally sourced products and sustaining a green environment in Vancouver. They’re working with GE-Free Solutions to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner menu to suit your next catering needs.
Launch day TBA.
Qoola Yogurt and Fruit
1116 Denman Street, West End
Qoola is a new “fresh frozen” yogurt shop in the West End that also serves wholegrain waffles and crepes, both made from scratch. I’ve written about them before.
On their launch day on April 20th, Qoola donated 25% of its sales from GE-Free verified items to the Ride to Conquer Cancer as well.
More GE-Free pilot coverage to come
Tiny Bites will take a closer look at each of these restaurants throughout the pilot period, so for now, take note of who is taking action and check them out if you can.
* Thanks again to Jessica Funk for assisting in the research and roundup.
Categories: Blogging for Social Change, Burnaby, Downtown, Food, Going Green, Granville Island, Restaurants, West End, Yaletown
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[...] Their other mandate is to operate a sustainable, caring, and green business, which manifests itself from their numerous charity sponsorships, adoption of recycling, compost, and Green Table practices, to sourcing quality ingredients that you can trust (as you will see from their committment to GE Free Solutions’ GE-Free verification program). [...]