Reality Check

We put our faith in everything from traffic signs to the labels that describe our food. But just how many drivers come to a complete stop at a stop sign? And how free are free-range chickens? Katie Arnold-Ratliff pokes holes in a few of our most common beliefs.

Tough Cluck

Poultry designated "free-range" conjures visions of chickens happily pecking around outdoors, just like their cousins on the family farm. In fact, the term can simply mean the door to the birds' coop was open for five minutes each day. Consumer Reports ' Greener Choices Eco-labels center (Greener Choices.org/Eco-Labels) gives the facts behind "free-range" and other green labels.