Super Eco

Photo credit: sarah gilbert

"Homemade" literally means "made in the home," although, from a product labeling perspective, there are no standards or restrictions regarding what can be called "homemade" and how much of a product must have been created at an individual's home. A homemade baked good could be as impersonal as store-bought cookie dough, sliced and baked by the maker; or carrot cake made from sourdough caught wild and carrots grown in the baker's garden. Likewise, a homemade garment could be a store-bought t-shirt which was embellished, or a dress sewn by hand with a needle and cotton thread.

Modern food labels often claim an item has "homemade taste" when, in fact, the food is made with a wide range of ingredients not typically found in a home kitchen, causing criticism from sustainable foodies and gourmands.

Many homemade products are far more environmentally correct than those produced by large corporations, largely because home cooks, soap-makers, canners, knitters, dyers and the like do not have access to the harmful chemicals often used in manufacturing processes. For instance, a homemade cleaner might be made of vinegar and essential oils; a homemade shampoo, of lemon juice and baking soda. Without the need for, or access to, preservatives and food colorings often found in processed foods, homemade baked goods, soups and snacks are far better for the planet.