In 1992, the New York based Rainforest Alliance joined forces with Costa Rica's Fundacion Ambio to create the ECO-OK Banana Project to make banana production more environmentally friendly.

About 10% of the bananas produced in Latin America and the Caribbean now have the ECO-OK certificate, but most of this eco-friendly fruit is sold mainly in Europe, because consumers there are more active in demanding environmentally-friendly products.

To earn the right to use the ECO-OK seal of approval, growers must use land that has already been cleared; plant trees along rivers to control erosion; protect wildlife habitats; regulate use of pesticides and provide plantation workers with proper safety equipment, health check-ups and improved housing and recycle plastics.

These standards are bringing about significant change without hurting the livelihood of the banana companies and their employees.

Reybancorp and Chiquita have found that certified farms are cleaner and safer and worker morale and production are higher.  Now let’s do our  bit by asking for the ECO-OK label.

More info: http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/programs