TODAY'S TURN: Yes, have a banana.

THE ISSUE:
Bananas aren't funny anymore. Can't enjoy a monkey or well-timed sight gag now without remembering reports of wrecked rain forests, intimidated workers and corporate corruption on a multinational level.

For years, huge banana companies have been accused of worker and environment exploitation, with reports pouring out of Costa Rican, Ecuadorian and Panamanian plantations. Everything from burning piles of plastic bags full of toxic waste to hiring thugs to intimidate and even knock off pesky union sympathizers.

Honestly, the issue is WAY too big for me to make a call. Especially based on third- and fourth-hand information that comes from corporate mouthpieces on one hand and sometimes-overzealous activists on the other. Which is the true Chiquita? The one that joined forces with something called the Rainforest Alliance to clean up its act? Or the one fined $25 million earlier this year for hiring a terrorist organization to provide security?

This sucks. I want to feel good again about the ultimate feel-good fruit.

THE GOOD TURN:
Not too long ago, a boycott of Dole, Chiquita and Del Monte would be the typical response. But I'm not really into boycotts (I believe more can be done through positive action than negative threats that rarely cause more than a PR problem) and now there are more fair trade options and access to smaller producers.

Here's what I do know: I can't unionize Costa Rican workers. I can't bring down Honduran presidents bribed with loads of cash. I can't tell a nation that the biggest chunk of their economy must leave the country - for their own good.

I'd rather focus on the positive action we CAN take and feel comfortable with.

Oke USA is the first fair trade banana company in the U.S. Their main source of bananas comes from cooperatives in Ecuador and Costa Rica, where the farmers not only control their own land, but are part owners in the company. Right now, their biggest distribution is in New England, but have inroads in Minnesota and are working to branch out to the West Coast and Mid-Atlantic states.

Click here to do this Good Turn.

"A World Consumed By Guilt"

Someone sent me this article from the NY Times last week and it felt like the writer had been eavesdropping on my morning commute musings. Mainly, it talks about how "buying green" has become so mainstream that it's practically trendy. Problem is, most people aren't equipped to evaluate the claims of "eco-friendly" products.

Here's a quick peek:
"No matter how sincere fashion designers may be in their efforts to embrace the green movement this season, consumers may find themselves perplexed by how to gauge the environmental impact of the many products that claim to be eco-friendly. After factoring in the fabrics used in clothes and how they were produced, the real benefits of soy versus organic cotton versus recycled polyester may be slight, or confusing, or quite possibly misleading."

In other words, we need help with evaluating our choices. I believe most of us want our choices to actually matter, not just to FEEL like they matter. That's where I think Good Turns At Every Turn can help.

Here's the danger of not having enough info. The less we understand, the more often we get hoodwinked by false or dicey claims, the more cynical we'd become about buying eco-friendly or socially-responsible products. Then we're back where we started.

And that would be a damned shame.

TODAY'S TURN: Slip on two pair at once

THE ISSUE:
Part of the fun of being a kid is running around barefoot, letting the mud squish between your toes and the cool grass massage your soles. But it's not quite as fun when you have cuts and blisters that get infected because you have no shoes to wear. It's what many kids in the world face, but we rarely think of shoes as a health issue.

THE GOOD TURN:
TOMS Shoes has a simple answer - for every pair of shoes the company sells, they give a pair to an impoverished child. It might sound like a marketing gimmick, but it's the soul of the company. Blake Mycoskie modeled the TOMS line on traditional alpargatas, worn by Argentinian farmers. The cardboard insole was replaced by leather, the rope sole replaced by rubber and the breathable canvas splashed with plenty of color. He believed the comfort and style of these shoes would play well in the states. and he was right. In just a year and a half, he's sold more than 60,000 pairs of TOMS, making it one of the hottest shoe brands on the west coast. Which means 60,000 kids in Argentina and South Africa received a pair of their own.

I like several things about what this guy is doing. Mostly, I just love the fact that he's using a for-profit model to do work traditionally handled by non-profits. Think about it, which is more sustainable: asking for money whenever you wanted to give shoes away, or offering something of value that creates an actual demand for your product (and, in turn, your cause). Plus they're just sweet looking shoes. Here's a great article that tells more of the story.

Click here to do this Good Turn.

TODAY'S TURN: Let your green fingers do the walking

THE ISSUE:
Used to be that "going green" meant buying a pair of Birkenstocks, throwing on a hemp poncho and getting knee deep in murky compost. But now hard core has gone mainstream. Now "green" means so much more. In fact, the term has grown to stand for social and economic justice, and community and environmental health. When you think about it, a "green" business could sell just about anything nowadays - as long as they do it in a socially and environmentally responsible way. In fact, "green" is so common and so widespread that you'd need some kind of book or directory to keep them all straight. Hmmm......

THE GOOD TURN:
The National Green Pages is like a phone book. Except this one lists thousands of companies that improve the quality of life for customers , employees, communities and the planet alike. The screening team at Co-op America (the publisher) puts each company through a rigorous screening before letting them in the book. What are they looking for? More than just platitudes and trendy promises. They're looking for real commitment and action. They're looking for values. You can find all kinds of products and services in there, from all over the country - just now, three random turns of the page turned up skin care, futons and a financial services company. Even better, it has articles and tips on how to live a green lifestyle.

Click here to do this Good Turn.

TODAY'S TURN: Say 'hi' to a soldier

THE ISSUE:
Let's try something. Let's try to forget about politics. Forget about WMDs, flimsy intelligence reports, rhetoric and exit strategies. Let's forget about pre-election posturing. Let's forget for a moment whether you're left or right, red or blue, a Hillary hater or Bush basher. There's one simple fact that we can all relate to: hundreds of thousands of US servicemen and servicewomen will be away from their families, friends and comforts of home for the holidays. The fear and loneliness experienced on both sides of the ocean are gut-wrenching and impossible to understand second-hand.

At the very least, this might be a good time to let our troops know that we're thinking about them.

THE GOOD TURN:
For just $25, you can send a USO Care Package to a soldier overseas, in time for the holidays. Packages include items such as prepaid international phone cards, sunscreen, travel size toiletries, and other requested items. But what may matter most is the personal note that you can send along with the package. A small touch of home and a small gestures of thanks. Now who could argue with that?

Click here to do this Good Turn.

TODAY'S TURN: Dream of a "green" Christmas

THE ISSUE:
Real Christmas trees are making a comeback. Last year, nearly 29 million households decorated a real tree for the holidays, according to the Nat'l Christmas Tree Association -- yes Virginia, there really is an NCTA. Personally, I've always hated fake trees out of principle; plus anything fake means paint, chemicals and plastic. So I'd say this is good news.

But they have to grow them somewhere, right? 29 million trees takes up a lot of space. And just like any other farm crop (and they do come from farms, not cut down from our forests, by the way), there are potential problems with erosion, water pollution and excessive pesticide use. Not to sleet on anyone's holiday parade, but not all growers have the environment's best interest in mind.

THE GOOD TURN:
When shopping for your Christmas tree this year, watch for a certification tag from the Coalition of Environmentally Friendly Growers. Two of the biggest tree growers in our biggest tree-growing state (Oregon) created a coalition to certify farms that operate to environmentally-friendly standards. Criteria look at impact on wetlands, pest control practices, water and soil conservation, and worker safety among other things. (Stories of what it's like to work with some industry-standard pesticides raised my eyebrows, but I don't know enough about the issue to have a good take, so that's best saved for another post.)

Yule Tree Farms and Holiday Tree Farms created the coaltion to share sustainable practices with the industry and to teach consumers about how trees are grown.

The intentions are good, but you'll probably have trouble finding a certified tree, at least for now. Only about 200,000 trees will be tagged this year, and the program isn't nationwide yet. But several tree farms have signed up to be inspected, and these guys seem to have a lot of industry clout. So I'd say it's a good start and something to watch for.

No click necessary to do this Good Turn. Just keep your eyes open.

Holiday shop around the world

Here's a chance to buy high quality, fairly traded handcrafts and gourmet food items from disadvantaged artisans and farmers all over the world.

It's the Work of Human Hands program. And a look through their catalog will present hundreds of beautiful, unique handcrafted gift ideas. All at very reasonable prices that are also fair to the people who create the items.

Click here to get their latest free catalog.

Click here to start shopping now.