Sales of organic foods in United States have slowed amid troubled economic times. According to an article in The New York Times by Andrew Martin, the sale of organics which had been growing at the Chinese economy-style rate of 20% per year slowed to a mere 4% growth at the end of the 4 week period ending on October 4th.

The numbers indicate a view of organic foods as simply luxury items, and the first things to go once belt tightening starts around American households. Indeed the evolution of the organic food industry in the United States has done much to reinforce this view in the minds of consumers. One of the first things you notice shopping at Whole Foods, a company now being hit hard as a result of slowing sales, are the high prices. Another trait of the stores is that they’re by and large located in pricey areas, close to consumers who can afford their products and are educated and attuned to the whole organic movement - which is primarily wealthier young adults.

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Last week Sarah’s Social Action Snapshot alerted us to the need for Whole Foods to guaranteeing worker’s rights and fair trade practices by supporting the United Farm Workers.   Impressively, thousands of people showed their support by signing the UFW’s petition, and this weekend the Organic Consumers Association is bringing it to the streets by asking volunteers to leaflet Whole Foods and demand the store lives up to it’s claim of social responsibility.   The OCA makes the message clear:

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The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

TakePart Gang:

Before He Was Indicted, Ted Stevens Was “Tubed” by Blair Golson

Strawberry Fields Forever by Wendy Cohen

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Nicole Hughes:

Green Video of the Week: Crazy Alien Plants

Fat Princess Video Game: The Joke’s Not Really That Funny

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Andy Kondrat:

Alaska’s Northwest Passage to Open For Second Straight Year

Stephen Colbert Interview’s Brendan Koerner, Slate’s Green Lantern

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Jon Popham:

L.A. Bans New Fast Food Joints

Flint Michigan Seeks Sponsors…For Police Surveillance Cameras

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Gina Telaroli:

Veganism in Ohio: Update #2, Photo Diary

An Apology for Slavery and Jim Crow? We Shall See…

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted today to put a ban on new fast food restaurants in South Los Angeles. City Officials are hoping the ban will help slow the rapidly growing obesity rate in this impoverished area of the city. Thirty percent of South L.A. adults are obese compared with 19.1 percent of adults in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area and 14.1 percent on the more affluent west side of town. This comes as little surprise when you consider that 73 percent of all restaurants in South L.A. are fast food compared with 42 percent in West Los Angeles. The moratorium will last for one year and is intended to attract other types of restaurants to an area desperately in need of healthier choices. The bill requires the signature of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to become law. The California Restaurant Association is considering a legal challenge to the city ordinance.

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Taste of Chicago returns to the Windy City Friday with its incredible variety of Chicago cuisine. The annual celebration is not only the biggest festival in Chicago but also the largest food festival in the world. Sixty-five vendors plus the rotating vendors at the Chef’s Table will provide Chicagoans and visitors with an assortment of eats ranging from such local delicacies as Chicago-style deep dish pizza, Italian Beef sandwiches, Polish sausages and Chicago-style Hot Dogs.

But it’s not all fatty foods at this year’s event. Taste of Chicago is at least trying to make its fare a little healthier by urging each vendor to include at least one healthy option on its menu - although admittedly some try sneaking by with a fried vegetable or two.

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Food prices are on the rise, and organic fare is no exception. Consumers are well aware that organics tend to cost more than conventional foods, but the Organic Consumers’ Association reports that the recent and quickly rising price of organic foods may force some consumers to curb their spending on these healthier options. ENN.com reports that a gallon of organic milk is now nearing almost $7 per gallon.

The rise in prices will affect some 39 percent of US shoppers, who consume organic foods. Some organic shoppers are trying to compensate for the rise in food prices by eating out less, while others are trying to purchase more from local suppliers.

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The change in the season inspires many of us to participate in the ritual of spring cleaning in some form or another - whether it’s your semi-annual bathroom scour or you’re gearing up to dust the wiring behind the stove. At the same time, most of us are also becoming less enthused with the idea of filling up our homes and the environment with a cocktail of hazardous chemicals found in traditional cleaning sprays and wipes.

Non-toxic is the safer, greener and cleaner way to go. Many companies, however, try to market their wares as “all natural” in an attempt to cash in on the green revolution - when in fact, their products are anything but. So what’s the best way to filter out the eco-imposters and zero in on the eco-friendly goods when confronted with so many choices? Here are five tips to help you weed through the labels and get past the false advertising. Happy Cleaning!

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