Anna Getty's Easy Green Organic - Anna Getty [4]
On a basic level, sustainable farmers are concerned with maintaining soil productivity and water quality by avoiding the use of pesticides and fertilizers while maintaining high yields for crops; maintaining a healthy and humane life for animals without the use of antibiotics and hormones; and providing a safe environment and economically viable life for themselves and their workers.
As of this writing, a majority of sustainable farms are small, family-run operations. Supporting them is crucial. It’s the best way to discourage the unecological practices of factory farms, which have taken over so much of our food production. Through our purchasing power, we send a message to the retailer and farmer that sustainability is important to us.
here are some good reasons to go green:
1. Supporting companies that have socially and environmentally responsible business practices changes the status quo.
2. Purchasing products made with fewer chemicals is not only better for your health and that of your family, it is also better for the environment.
3. Producing less waste in your household helps reduce the amount going into our landfills each year.
4. Consuming less plastic, paper, and energy helps conserve our nonrenewable resources, like coal, trees, oil, gas, and water.
5. Making conscious decisions when you are shopping, such as buying fair trade, sustainable, and environmentally friendly products, supports indigenous communities and small businesses, and respects the environment.
6. Being a friend to the environment feels really good.
“A sustainable agriculture is one that depletes neither the people nor the land.”—Wendell Berry
here are some good reasons to go organic:
1. Buying organic food supports organic farmers.
2. Organic farming practices reduce the level of pesticides and fertilizers in the soil, thereby improving the overall health of the soil, air, and water, as well as our own health.
3. Organic produce has 30 percent higher levels of antioxidants than its conventional counterparts. That means higher antioxidant intakes for people who consume organic fruits and vegetables.
4. Studies have found that organic dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and meats actually taste better than conventional varieties.
5. Farmers who grow certified organic food are prohibited from using genetically modified seeds.
6. Organic meats and dairy are produced without the use of antibiotics and growth hormones.
7. Supporting local organic farmers assists in cutting down on energy consumption. Overall energy use on conventional farms is much greater because of their reliance on nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides.
“For the first time in the history of the world, every human being is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the moment of conception until death.”—Rachel Carson, Silent Spring
getting out of the vicious cycle
I decided that for me and my family one of the best reasons to go organic was to reduce, if not eliminate, exposure to pesticides in our food. Once I learned about the potentially unhealthful effects of the thousands of chemicals that are being used on our food and their polluting effects on our soil, water systems, the air we breathe, and the wildlife in our environment, I realized that if we did not choose to eat organic, we would be contributing to a vicious cycle.
In the United States, over 99 percent of farmland is still being farmed with the help of toxic chemicals to fertilize the soil and kill insects and weeds. The only way to break out of this system is to make a change. The truThis, if you are not eating organic, you are eating foods that have pesticide residues. You may be wondering why our government is allowing these chemicals, namely organophosphates and carbamates, both of which are classified as carcinogens, to be