Friday, November 14, 2008
30 Days to a Greener Diet - Day 24
Be Kind to ChickensEat Cage-Free Eggs
You’re an omelet fan, but you’re conscientious too. You’d like to know that the chickens that generously provided the eggs for your brunch staple are living a reasonably happy life.
Look for cage-free eggs. Chickens are typically kept in battery cages, which are small and confining. The cage-free label indicates the hens were not confined to tight wire pens, and were able to scratch and spread their wings and partake in other chicken-y pastimes.
Remember, the cage-free label is not tightly regulated, so you are taking it at face value and trusting the farmer who put it there. You might also look for a Certified Humane label from Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC), which indicates that the animals were raised compassionately in accordance with strict standards. HFAC keeps a list of Certified Humane producers on its Website.
