Nonprofit organization the Rainforest Alliance is being sued over what Water and Sanitation Health (WASH), a non-profit organization based in Seattle, Washington, claims is unfair and deceptive marketing of its rainforest certified products.

If you’re not familiar with the Rainforest Alliance, the group is best known for its work with Chiquita, certifying its bananas as “Rainforest Certified,” which may lead consumers to take that as meaning sustainable and even organically grown.

But it’s that certification that WASH alleges in its civil suit is misleading American consumers and harming the Central American communities growing the bananas.

The lawsuit points to six Guatemala communities specifically located near the Nahualate and Madre Vieja Rivers that are being exposed to excessive water pollution and airborne exposure to toxic chemicals from plantations that provide the “Rainforest Certified” bananas grown for Chiquita, WASH alleges. “Drinking water is contaminated from toxic fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and organic matter,” WASH President Eric Harrison said in a statement.

According to the WASH suit, banana plantations near the Guatemalan villages and communities spread some 420 gallons of fungicides onto the banana trees every 8 – 10 days, including dithane, paraquat, and mocap, which have been proven to cause serious health problems.

“We believe that the Rainforest Alliance’s marketing scheme is a deliberate misrepresentation to consumers,” Harrison said of the group that grossed more than $46-million dollars in 2013.

WASH alleges that eco-minded consumers may purchase Rainforest Alliance bananas and other certified crops under the impression that the products are grown sustainably, even when that’s not the case.

On its website, the Rainforest Alliance claims that it works directly with banana farms “to help them conserve their natural resources and promote the well-being of workers and local communities. Banana farms that are Rainforest Alliance Certified undergo annual audits to ensure that they comply with rigorous social criteria designed to protect workers, families and nearby communities.”

In a statement released by Rainforest Alliance addressing the lawsuit specifically, the group said that auditors “found that the [Rainforest Alliance certified] farms visited were in compliance with the SAN certification standards.”

But Harrison, who recently visited Guatemala, claims he witnessed “local workers who don’t have protective gear against direct exposure from pesticide spray, and drinking water tested in communities near the plantations showed levels of nitrites, nitrates, and heavy metals ten times higher than the maximum levels recommended by the World Health Organization.” Harrison adds, “WASH appreciates the outward philosophy of the Rainforest Alliance. We hope they will assist in getting affected communities the clean water they need for health and sanitation purposes.”

Bananas are a divisive crop, which is why programs like the Rainforest Alliance’s and Whole Foods Market’s Whole Trade label have become beacons of inspiration among our most popular globalized crops (which includes other certified crops such as coffee, chocolate and tea). While bananas continue to be among the most popular fruits sold in the U.S., they’re not grown anywhere on the mainland; all are imported from countries like Guatemala and Costa Rica. And like WASH points out in its suit, the certification programs in place can be misleading to consumers if not downright deceptive about the practices and labor issues surrounding these crops. Not only that, but considering that the fruits are grown thousands of miles away from U.S. soil, there are considerable amounts of fossil fuels being burned in transport and contributing to greenhouse gases, which are damaging to the rainforests even if the bananas are being grown in a way that doesn’t contribute to new clear-cutting.

What seems clear is that crops like bananas are going to continue to be controversial. We’re not likely to give up our love for the fruit any time soon. But hopefully we can continue to demand transparency in our food system and hold certifiers accountable to improving standards and conditions for workers around the world.

Find Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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Image: www.bluewaikiki.com

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Bananas are my go-to snack for many reasons — they fill me up, energize me, and easy to eat on the go. Bananas are also packed with nutrition, but did you know there are lots of ways to use this fruit that don’t involve eating?

Health benefits and flavor aside, bananas can be used for far more than a snack. We’ve rounded up 10 unusual ways to use bananas–both inside and outside the home–that will definitely change your opinion of this common fruit.

10 Unusual Ways To Use Bananas

1. Egg Replacement

Ripe bananas can be used as a vegan replacement for eggs in baked dishes like breads, cakes, and cookies. One mashed banana is equivalent to one egg. This is not only a great way to make animal-friendly desserts but also a way to put overripe bananas to use.

2. One-Ingredient Ice-Cream

Got bananas? A blender? Good. Peel, chop and freeze the banana in a zip-lock bag. Remove from the freezer, and place into a food processor or high-speed blender. Mix until fluffy and smooth. Serve with your choice of mix-ins, such as chocolate chips or dried fruit and nuts.

3. Face Mask

Banana is full of water, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and nutrients. Thus it makes for a great moisturizing face mask. Mash a banana in a small bowl with the back of a fork and apply to a clean face. Let sit for 20-30 minutes before rinsing and drying clean.

4. Shoe Polisher

Want to go au naturel with your shoe polishing? Before dropping that banana peel in the compost pile, let it hit your shoe first. Peel off any stringy skin from the inside of the peel and then rub it against your shoe to shine it. Use a towel to wipe down the shoe after shining.

5. Fertilizer

With more than 10 percent of the RDA of potassium in one serving, bananas offer a great alternative to chemical fertilizer. Dehydrate banana peels during the winter. When spring is just about to arrive, blend the dried banana in a food processor and then use it as mulch for seedlings.

6. Butterflies and Birds

Birds and butterflies are beautiful, especially when they are leisurely flying around your garden. Place overripe bananas on an elevated or hanging platform in the center of your garden. The sugary fruit will attract winged wildlife to your backyard.

7. Pesticide Removal

In a recent study conducted in Brazil, banana peel s were used to remove pesticides like atrazine and ametryne from the water supply.

8. Hair Conditioner

According to Dr. Oz, banana is one of the best natural hair conditioners. All you have to do is blend a few ripe bananas until completely smooth – adding a little water if you need to. Brush the mix into your hair with a fine-toothed comb. Let sit for 20 minutes before rinsing out.

9. Heart Disease Prevention

You love bananas with all your heart, but did you know eating them actually strengthens that very organ? The potassium in bananas helps to lower blood pressure and reduce cardiovascular disease mortality.

10. Reduce Puffy Eyes

Eat bananas to treat a bloated gut or puffy under eyes. The potassium in bananas reduces water retention in the body. For this effect, you can either consume them or rub the peel under your eyes.

Related on EcoSalon:

Sunday Recipe: Healthy Banana Bread

Fiber Watch: Fabric From Bananas?

Sunday Recipe: Simple Vegan Banana, Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream

Photo Credit: Darwin Bell

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The stalk of a banana plant contains fibrous strands that can be processed into anything from paper to kimono-grade silk.

Fabric from bananas, from the stalk of a banana plant to be more precise, has been utilized by cultures in Japan and Southeast Asia since the 13^th century. The fiber from the stalk of banana plants is incredibly durable and is actually a waste product of the bananas grown for the food industry. Spun into silk yarns, woven into fabrics for interior decoration and even used as paper and packaging materials, the fibrous stalks of this large, fruit-bearing plant offer numerous possibilities as a natural and sustainable textile and fiber material.

Originating from the tropical areas of Southeast Asia and first cultivated in the area we now know as Papua New Guinea, bananas have grown to become an essential part of life for several cultures. Many of us are dependant on bananas as a daily source of creamy, sweet and vegan nutrition, even in Western countries where bananas rarely grow. But who would have thought that you could wear and decorate your house with parts of the banana plant?

Much like the fibrous stalks of other fast-growing flora, the banana plant contains long and strong fibers in its sturdy stems. The outermost layers of the stalk contain the coarsest fibers, while the inner layers contain fine fibers that can be spun into luxurious fabrics such as silks. After a banana harvest, the cut stalks are stripped of their fibers by a decortication method, whereby the stalks are crushed by a roller and then the fibers are scraped by machines that have sharp, revolving wheels on them. Stripping can also be done by hand, which involves removing narrow strips of the stalk with a serrated knife. A banana fiber separator machine has been developed in India, which takes the agricultural waste of local banana harvests and efficiently and quickly extracts strands of the fiber.

Fiber extraction is followed by boiling the strips in an alkaline solution to soften and separate them. After boiling and washing the strips, the skins and fibers are separated from one another, after which the fibers are joined through a tedious and time consuming method to create long, continuous threads. The threads are then ready for spinning, during which they must be kept wet in order to prevent snapping or breaking. Dyeing and weaving the yarns are the final parts of the process, producing a high quality material that can be used for various applications. The fineness of the fiber determines the thickness of the yarn, as finer yarn is used for clothing, medium grade yarn is used for table cloths, curtains and cushion covers, while thicker, coarser yarn is used for basket weaving, floor mats and bags.

Processed banana fiber resembles bamboo and ramie fiber, but the high grade fiber is actually much finer and easier to spin. Despite its fineness, this high grade banana fiber is extremely durable, and has a natural luster that gives it a satin-like appearance. Spun banana yarn and woven banana textiles are very moisture-absorbent and since their processing does not involve chemicals, they are completely biodegradable.

Since the Japanese have been processing banana fibers for nearly 800 years, they have perfected the art of creating banana cloth. The finest fibers of the banana stalk are reserved for kimono dresses and kamishimo, a formal garment worn by the samurai. Nepalese artisans have also been creating beautiful and lavish rugs out of banana fibers, as their moisture-wicking properties make them the ideal floor coverings for tropical climates. Alongside these traditional uses, banana fibers are also used for interior purposes such as cushion covers, curtains, tablecloths, bags and even paper and journals. The International Institute for Environment and Development has even launched a program to educate women in Rwanda in making low cost and environmentally friendly sanitary pads out of banana fiber.

The time and skill required to efficiently make strong and evenly spun yarns can take a lifetime to learn, however, the process of banana fiber production is nonetheless a sustainable one. Banana plants do not require pesticides or fertilizers when grown in the tropics, and are often cultivated by small farmers who own their land. The fibers are spun, dyed and woven by small artisan communities that continue to pass down their trades to younger generations, keeping age-old traditions alive. These communities often thrive as a whole on the work they accomplish, sharing the benefits equally among one another.

Products made from banana fabric are difficult to find unless visiting a country where the material is currently produced, such as the Philippines, Japan, Nepal, India or Kenya. Some items such as bags, coasters, pillows and clutches can be found online at Fair Trade marketplaces like Handcrafting Justice, Harkiss Designs and Nkuku Fairtrade. For the craftier type, beautifully dyed banana silk yarns can be found from Frabjous Fibers. These skeins are handspun by women in Nepal, and kettle dyed or hand painted into an array of  brilliant colors. THIS Co., a fabric distributor that has worked with the likes of Comme des Garcons, offers woven, semi-sheer banana fabric at $47 per yard.

Images: SQUAREROOT, THIS Co., kamsky, Nkuku Fairtrade, Frabjous Fibers

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Because ice cream should be super simple.

When I came across one-ingredient ice cream on Food52, it seemed too good to be true. But it’s not.

The beauty is in bananas, which when frozen and put in the food processor, turn into a fluffy mass of goodness. And it’s raw. And it’s vegan.

I was so excited about the discovery I immediately sent it to fellow food connoisseur Aylin Erman, who promptly responded with “Girl, you need to make this ASAP. It changed my life.”

A life changing recipe that only involves one ingredient? Yes, please. But as we all know, bananas are only made better by chocolate, so this version gets the addition of homemade hazelnut chocolate spread (in other words: homemade Nutella) for a decadent but super simple dessert.

Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream

For ice cream:

• 3-4 frozen bananas

For chocolate hazelnut spread:

• 1 cup roasted hazelnuts
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 tablespoons canola oil or hazelnut oil

Directions

To make chocolate hazelnut spread, put all ingredients in food processor and mix until a spreadable consistency.

To make ice cream, cut the bananas into small chunks and place on a baking pan. Freeze for at least 1-2 hours.

Place banana pieces into a food processor and churn until a smooth consistency.

Mix together two parts banana ice cream and one part chocolate hazelnut spread until well blended. Serve immediately or store in airtight container in freezer.

Want more food inspiration? Check out the rest of our Sunday Recipe series. 

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Protein-packed and ahead of the grain gang.

I am a creature of habit when it comes to breakfast, but I often force myself to break the cycle for the sake of an exciting ingredient. Amaranth is a new find on my part, and it completely defied my expectations with its uber-light, yet creamy texture. This recipe turned out delicious and is definitely going to be repeated for a high-protein and high-fiber start to my day!

Amaranth is one-of-a-kind. Although it acts very much like a grain, it is actually the fruit of a plant. It boasts a nutritional profile that tallies off both the protein and fiber boxes – it is packed with 5 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein per cup. It contains up to 30% more protein than wheat flour, rice, and oats do. Amaranth is also free of gluten, which is inherent in many other grains, and it is a great source of the essential amino acid lysine, which is rather limited in other grains or plant sources. Cooked amaranth is 90% digestible, is high in vitamins and minerals and prevents disease, supports the immune system, prevents grey hair, and lowers blood pressure.

It is an unusually healthy food that you should experiment with, and why not for breakfast?

Amaranth Cereal Breakfast

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Serve with fruit. I chose fresh figs and bananas. I also added a teaspoon of no-sugar-added strawberry preserves for some extra sweetness and a sprig of mint for an aromatic touch.

Perfect way to start the day!

Bon Appetit!

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