As a child growing up in the Midwest, I was able to enjoy the luxuries of our seasonal vegetable garden and other fresh produce from local farms. I remember picking fresh berries on our camping trips to Lake Michigan and eating snap peas or cherry tomatoes directly from the vine in my backyard. I rarely considered washing these fresh picks and I certainly never considered a cleaning brush or a vegetable wash to rid the pesticides from their skins. I was eating locally grown, organic produce before I even knew what that meant. With age, I slowly began to realize that most produce was not nearly as fresh or safe as it was in my childhood past. Around the same time that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “organic” seal went into effect, my mother gave me a book titled, Eating to Save the Earth, by Linda Riebel and Ken Jacobsen. Upon reading it, I realized that eating organic food was going to have to be an active effort in my adult life.
Most conventional foods found at restaurants and large grocery stores are probably not organic. Sadly, over 12,000 chemicals and 3,000 additives are used to produce our food. Our modern agriculture system depends on chemical pesticides to kill insect pests, herbicides to kill off undesirable weeds, antibiotics and hormones to increase the bulk of animals in slaughterhouses, and additives and preservatives to make our food last longer. An abundance of these chemicals can be hazardous to our health and also create lasting damage to our natural environment. Fortunately, as the use of chemicals in our modern food system went up, an opposing demand for organic produce also came forth. In 1990, the Organic Foods Production Act was passed, resulting in a National Organic Program published (finally!) by the U.S Department of Agriculture in 2002. According to their standards, “Organic production is based on a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers. Organically produced foods also must be produced without the use of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, genetic engineering and other excluded practices, sewage sludge, or irradiation. Cloning animals or using their products would be considered inconsistent with organic practices. Organic foods are minimally processed without artificial ingredients, preservatives, or irradiation to maintain the integrity of the food.” Organic foods are also required to carry the label “USDA organic” to assure their validity.
As mentioned above, when I began to learn about the harsh reality of our modern food system, I decided that I would make an educated effort to include as much organic food in my life as possible. Being vegetarian predates my decision to eat organic but it makes my effort a little bit easier, as I do not have to worry about the politics of the meat industry in my daily diet. With that being said, here are some suggestions for making your life a little more organic:
• Always look for the USDA organic seal: Products made with at least 95% certified organic materials will carry this label.
• Search for a farmers market in your area: Farmers markets are more likely to carry organic products or locally grown, seasonal foods produced with minimal chemical use. To find one in your area, check out http://farmersmarket.com/ or http://www.localharvest.org/.
• Shop at retailers that carry organic products: Although most large grocery retailers carry organic products now, you can find stores that cater specifically to organic products at http://www.organicstorelocator.com/ or http://www.localharvest.org/.
• Support restaurants that use organic products: Many restaurants will specify organic products on their menus or you can always ask! But if you want to do some research before choosing your dining location, go to http://www.organichighways.com/ or http://www.localharvest.org/restaurants/.
• Eat less meat, dairy, fish, and eggs: The meat industry places the heaviest burden on our environment because the animals raised for food eat a large portion of our grain crop, require millions of gallons of water, contaminate our water and soil, and take up a considerable amount of land that could be used for crops.
• Buy produce that is in season: Seasonal produce will more likely be grown locally with less pesticides used to ward off pests. If you cannot find the produce that you want in season, buy canned foods as it contains less pesticide residue.
• Put more diversity in your diet: By increasing the diversity of your food choices, you will support biodiversity in agriculture. Monoculture (or one-crop farms) exhausts the soil and attracts pests, forcing farmers to use more chemical fertilizers and pesticides on their crop.
• If you cannot buy everything organic, you should consider buying organic at least for the most pesticide-contaminated foods: Strawberries, Green and Red Bell Peppers, Spinach, Cherries, Peaches, Cantaloupe, Celery, Apples, Apricots, Green beans, Grapes, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Potatoes.
You can find an even more extensive approach to organic living through Greeniacs resources! Here are some guides and articles to look into:
Free Range Foods: http://www.wordpress-837916-4114959.cloudwaysapps.com/GreeniacsArticles/Free-Range-Foods.html
Slow Foods: http://www.wordpress-837916-4114959.cloudwaysapps.com/GreeniacsArticles/Slow-Foods.html
USDA Certified Organic: http://www.wordpress-837916-4114959.cloudwaysapps.com/GreeniacsArticles/USDA-Certified-Organic.html
Why Buy Organic?: http://www.wordpress-837916-4114959.cloudwaysapps.com/GreeniacsArticles/Why-buy-organic-A-look-at-Externalities.html
Drink Organic Wine and Beer: http://www.wordpress-837916-4114959.cloudwaysapps.com/GreeniacsGuides/Drink-Organic-Wine-and-Beer.html
Grow Your Own Vegetables: http://www.wordpress-837916-4114959.cloudwaysapps.com/GreeniacsGuides/Grow-Your-Own-Vegetables.html
How to Become a Locavore: http://www.wordpress-837916-4114959.cloudwaysapps.com/GreeniacsGuides/How-to-Become-a-Locavore.html
Make Your Own Non-Toxic Pesticides: http://www.wordpress-837916-4114959.cloudwaysapps.com/GreeniacsGuides/Make-Your-Own-NonToxic-Pesticides.html
