It's natural that we tire of some words

So are we tired of the word “green” yet?
No, I don’t mean the green, green grass of home. That we could all take more of. It’s the green houses, green cars, green factories, green politicians and even green computer monitors — that are white, by the way — to which I refer.
While the intent may be as noble as Prince Valiant, it won’t be long before the term “green” will have no impact — it won’t mean a thing in same sense that it does today, don’t you think? It’s already happening in advertising. We no longer even twitch when something is described as “green.” That’s what happens with overuse.
How about “carbon footprint?” Man, that one has become so cliched to me that it would be absolutely refreshing to hear a bureaucrat say they wanted to reduce the amount of electricity they use and that they will drive 30 miles fewer each week, instead of this mumbo-jumbo. That I can understand. Carbon footprint? Sorry, too vague — not to mention trendy — for me.
A similar thing happened to the word “gay,” you know. I was reminded of this a while back when I slipped into the phrase “We’ll have a gay ol’ time,” reminiscent of the old “Flintstones” theme song. Stares, giggles and disbelief were the only responses I got from a room full of young ‘uns. That word and it’s meaning have been absolutely hijacked.
I fear the same for “pride,” by the way. What used to be “gay pride festivals” are now simply “Pride Festivals;” what now is the Pride Office, is what used to be the Gay-Lesbian Office or something like that.
I began worrying about this same diluting or misconstruing of precise words when I went grocery shopping the other night. It seems to be a already-overused trend to call a product “natural” or “organic.” But do they mean what they are supposed to mean and over time, will their overuse no longer have the impact that originally intended?
At the side of my desk right now is a bag of “natural” potato chips — made with “all-natural potatoes” as it says right on the front of the package. Well, the cynic in me says, what else could a potato be? Pretend? Plastic? Chemically manufactured? On the back of the package it goes on to explain: “We start with farm-grown potatoes …” Well, that’s good. Those ones grown in the coal mines and found along the seashore just aren’t as good.
And do they put on pounds just like the potato chips of my youth? Well, naturally.
What makes an item “organic?” How about “sustainable” or “free-range?” I’m sure these words spawn all sorts of different images in people’s minds. Would an egg from an organically fed free-range chicken on a sustainable chicken farm (I have this vision of chasing the smiling chicken around green, safe pastures and just nabbing the egg with a butterfly net right before it hits the ground, a smile on the beak of the chicken) be better for you than that regular egg you had this morning?
Turns out there are federal “guidelines” as to what can be called organic. Since 2002, the USDA says, organic food is produced by farmers who “emphasize” the use of renewable (there’s one of those words again) resources and conservation of soil and water … “avoid” the use of chemical pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers … avoiding use of bioengineering, sewage sludge or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled organic a USDA-approved certifier must also inspect the farm, looking for non-organic stuff, I suppose.
“Natural” foods are to not contain any artificial ingredients such as coloring or chemical preservatives. Meat from animals treated with artificial hormones can be labeled natural, however, as can meat injected with saline solutions to add flavor. Food can also contain processed proteins that are harmful to some sensitive allergy-sufferers and still legally sport the label “natural.” Basically, the meaning behind the word “natural” is up the manufacturer or producer.
Speaking of labels, most perishable items have to show the country of origin on the label now. My daughter brought by some frozen hamburger patties for grilling the other night, purchased at a warehouse store which requires a membership. The label said the meat inside was from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Mexico and Australia. Can you imagine the size of that processing plant if the end product could have possibly come from one of, or a combination of, five different countries? And the label has to list all five. Just to be safe.
Or should I say unsafe?
Worrying about where my natural, organic, sustainable, free-trade, grass-fed, cholesterol-free, reduced sugar, free-roaming food is coming from is enough to turn me green.