Organic Bananas

I like bananas. And about a year ago, organic bananas were on sale at the local supermarket, so I tried them.

I got hooked. They taste better. I have not sponsored a double blind study tasting both kinds, but the organic bananas seem to have a better texture and a more banana taste. They also seem to last longer sitting on my kitchen counter.

I only have one question for Dole, the grower of my organic bananas. Why do you wrap each bunch of bananas in thick plastic?

I’m happy to pay the few cents more for no fertilizer, no herbicides, no insecticides. I am not happy to pay for the plastic around each bunch. I can understand that the grocery stores across the country do not want their checkout people accidentally charging non-organic prices for organic goods. I can understand not giving customers the ability to tear off part of a bunch and buy just a few.

But can’t that be done some other way? I would be happier with a thinner plastic with holes in it.

I just hope their reasoning is not that the plastic bag makes my bananas taste better.

(Image derived from Bananas, December 2006 by photographer Steve Hopson. Image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5. More information about photographer and other photos: SteveHopson.com)

Alternative Energy