I've been purchasing organic, cage-free, free-range eggs packed in recycled cardboard for a couple of years now. For about twice the price of eggs layed by chickens crammed into tiny pens being pecked to death by confused, insane chickens, I got a little peace of mind.

That is, until I looked into the USDA's requirements for "free-range" poultry at www.eco-label.org. Basically, the label means absolutely nothing. There are no standards and there is no verification. If you need more proof, read an article by Karen Davis, PhD who visited the farm that produces "The Happy Hen Organic Fertile Brown Eggs". Pretty depressing.

Just last week, I picked up my daughter from school, then followed the "Free-Range Brown Eggs 1/4 mile" sign that I've driven past for about 2 years. When we got to the farm, there was no question whether or not these chickens were free-range - there were about 50 happy chickens running around about an acre of yard. The 12 or 13 pigs were also free-range (and fat, I might add). My daughter didn't want to leave.

Not only were the eggs about a dollar cheaper than Shop-Rite's unregulated, free-range eggs trucked in from half-way across America, they were stored in a variety of egg cartons. This place also reuses those unrecyclable styrofoam egg cartons. Cool.

If you're lucky enough to live in the boonies like me, try to find a farm that sells free-range eggs. It's environmentally-friendly and keeps the local farmer in business. And don't forget to save your old egg cartons!