At Giant Eagle^® we help to keep the environment safe every day in many ways. Giant Eagle^® carries a selection of organically grown fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, milk and grains. Organic farming utilizes fertilizers and controls pests in ways that minimize impact on the environment. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets national guidelines for farmers and to provide consumers with a way to identify organically grown foods. For a farmer to display the Certified Organic seal, the farm must have met national standards for at least three years. In Nature's Basket® at Giant Eagle^®, you'll find a variety of food, health and beauty items, pet food and household products that are good for the environment and for you, including:

• 100% natural products with no artificial colors, preservatives or flavors.
• Choices for people with sensitivities to wheat, gluten, eggs or milk — making it easier to cope with allergies or food ingredient intolerances.
• Environmentally friendly cleaning and paper goods.
• Whole grains, plant-based proteins and vegetarian choices, certified-organic fruits, vegetables and grains, plus foods made from organically grown ingredients. You will also find milk, cheese, meat and eggs that are grown following organic farming and production standards.
• Fair Trade Certified products such as coffee, tea, chocolate. Fair Trade farmers from Latin America, Africa and Asia grow crops in harmony with nature and without the use of chemicals that harm the environment. Fair Trade certification also means that the farmers were paid fairly for producing these foods.

Recycling is simply part of sound, daily business practice at Giant Eagle^®. Along with our reusable grocery bags, check out the bag recycling containers outside our stores that encourage our customers to join the effort. In addition, Giant Eagle^® recycles unsold merchandise by donating to local food banks.

To celebrate Earth Day, visit these websites for some great games, activities, recipes and fact sheets:

• Earthday.gov — Take action at work, at home and in the classroom.
• Kids.gov — Great ideas for grades K-5, grades 6-8, and educators.
• Farm Service Agency (FSA) for Kids — A USDA Web site with recipes, questions on how food grows, coloring pages, games, and fun food facts.
• Earthday.net — Find over 300 standard-based lessons, school greening tips, grants for teachers and more than 25,000 teachers to share ideas with.
• National Institute of Environmental Health Services (NIEHS) — Environmental health topics, brainteasers and riddles, games and activities, songs and other ideas for kids.
• USDA Agricultural Marketing Service — Information about Fair Trade Certified products, organic produce and more.

Make your next trip to the store with your kids an educational one!

Parents, download our new activity sheet and let your kids explore your local Giant Eagle^® store for organic foods, recycling information and more! Together, you can learn how to make smarter food purchases to help the environment!