In October Whole Foods opens in Santa Barbara and will obviously compete with another corporate owned "health food store", Lazy Acres(a subsidiary of a corporation that is a subsidiary of Alberton's) and discounter Trader Joe's. While the store is being built here in Santa Barbara, a national boycott is being organized against Whole Foods because of CEO John Mackey's attack against any kind of health insurance reform and any form of national health insurance. Mackey argues that a healthy diet would solve the problem and the responsibility lies with us as individuals to take care of our own health. While I think a healthy diet would solve a lot of health problems, I don't think that is an argument for not having all American's covered by decent health insurance. In my own life I have to look no farther than a simple knee surgery, that cured a painful problem. Without health insurance or the ability to pay for the surgery, I would have suffered a lifetime of pain no matter what my diet was. Nor do I wish to penalize average Americans who have had their health impaired by being duped into buying the industrial food that is sold in most markets and restaurants.
The Organic Consumer's Association has criticized Whole Foods on a variety of issues. The State of California has filed a lawsuit against the corporation for selling body care and cleaning products that contain carcinogenic substances.
I am not going to take a position on the boycott, I believe that is an individual decision. I am sure for many people myself included it will be convenient to use the chain stores, and that they will have many useful products and organic food choices. But as the corporations duke it out for our shopping dollar, consider how much you want to spend at the corporate stores as opposed to spending your money at the Isla Vista Coop, buying direct from local organic farmers and farm stands, and trading homegrown produce with your neighbors at the neighborhood exchanges springing up all over the South Coast. The more we can do the latter, the more resilient we make our local economy, and the fresher and healthier our food choices will be.
Larry Saltzman
Articles critical of Whole Foods
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