13. Going organic - good for you and the planet

I will buy and eat organic food whenever possible.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? 

There are so many compelling reasons to eat organic food whenever possible. Organic food is much better for our environment, for our health and for others (including farm workers and people who live near farms). 

The Environment: Organic agriculture practices help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Also, organic farming results in healthier soil, including more biological activity and biomass, increased soil stability, and greater diversity. Of increasing importance, pollinator health is supported by organic farming. Furthermore, organic farmers do not use oil and gas-based fertilizers. There are numerous additional environmental benefits of organic farming, including the protection of wildlife, watersheds and drinking water.

Our Health: Pesticides are known to cause many long-term human health problems including “cancers, birth defects, reproductive harm, neurological and developmental toxicity, immunotoxicity, and disruption of the endocrine system.” “According to noted expert, Dr. Charles Benbrook, “when you compare organic versus conventional food, it is absolutely inarguable that organic food reduces dietary exposure to pesticides by 98 percent.” A  study involving over 68,000 adults found that “a significant reduction in the risk of cancer was observed among high consumers of organic food.”

Others: Farmworkers and neighboring communities are particularly exposed to harmful pesticides from conventional farming. Farmers and farmworkers have higher rates of certain cancers, including prostate cancer. With respect to neighboring communities, as an article in Scientific American notes: “Children are especially vulnerable to these airborne pesticides, given that their young bodies are still growing and developing.” The Pesticide Action Network also observes, “When pesticides are sprayed they can drift and settle on playgrounds, porches, laundry, toys, pools, furniture and more…Some of the most toxic pesticides in use in the U.S. today are also the most drift prone.”

TAKE ACTION!

Taking action is very straightforward: Buy organic whenever possible.

Let’s vote with our mouths and dollars. More organic demand means more investments in and conversion to organic farming. Costco alone exceeded $4 billion in annual organic produce sales several years ago, spurring increased organic production.

Easy and local ways to eat organically include shopping at your local farmers market or signing up for CSA services like Farm Cart Organics.

For ourselves, our environment and others, let’s maximize our organic purchases.

ADDITIONAL MOTIVATION THOUGHTS

Want to avoid GMO foods? Because the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is strictly prohibited in organic products, eating organic is the easiest way to have confidence that you are not consuming GMOs.

Studies show that organic foods, including milk, onions and many others, have higher nutritional values.

Want to avoid sewage sludge and irradiation? The use of sewage sludge and irradiation are explicitly prohibited in growing organic foods.

A detailed analysis shows that “we could sequester more than 100% of current annual CO2 emissions with a switch to widely available and inexpensive organic management practices.”

According toresearch, “upwards of 95 percent of applied pesticides miss their target, reaching nearby people and wildlife, waterways, soil and air instead.”