Does buying organic food really make a difference?

Question

Is shopping organic enough to help make a difference in the way people treat animals, the earth and its resources-- specifically when it comes to our food and beverage supply--? What else can I do to live earth friendly and encourage more earth healthy (and people healthy) lifestyles?

And I have a follow up question...I have read that part of the reason that organic foods are more expensive is because chemically altered or supported foods receive government subsidies--so we pay less at the cashier but overall we are paying just as much through taxes etc. True? Any comments or thoughts on this would be appreciated too!

Answer 1

There are a number of reasons why organic foods are more expensive. Other than damage to crops from insects and disease, there is also the simple cost of having the government certify that your food is organic. That is the number one complaint I hear from those who grow organically for the market.

Is it healthier? Bestonnet_00 pointed out some problems with the government's labeling of "organic". One example I can think of is that some stock men simply open up the door to the barn and label their animals "free range", even though the animals never leave the barn. You have to know the source. A powerful lobbyist with money can easily change government definitions to their liking. (This is the number two complaint I hear from those who attempt to grow organically for the market.)

However, scientific studies have shown that truly free range meat, eggs, and milk products are healthier for you as they are lower in bad cholesterol and higher in the good types...just as humans can lower their own bad cholesterol by getting out and getting some exercise.

Studies have also shown that children who are around a lot of pesticides (i.e. those who grow up on "factory" farms) have lower IQ's, and men exposed to the same have lower rates of fertility, Many people have discovered that some food chemicals (added to cover up the poor taste of industrial food) may be linked to common childhood disorders (ADD, ADHD, rage disorder) and some forms of autism, and may be linked to cancers and other disease-like disorders.

But more than that, there is taste. Free range animal products (those that are actually free-range) simply taste better, as does home-grown food. This past year, my family and I ate primarily out of our own garden, in which we use almost no pesticides and use mostly natural fertilizers, and we ate mostly animal products from nearby farms where we could see how the animals were raised. The main reason for us having a garden and cooking from scratch is simply because it tastes better than the crap one buys in the grocery store, even over stuff labeled "organic". However, we did notice something extraordinary...we did get sick less often. Was there a link? I don't know. But I sure enjoy eating a nice buffalo burger (that was raised not too far from where we live) topped with sweet, garden-fresh tomatoes that I had just picked that morning.

Answer 2

I buy organic milk, soy milk, and eggs. Can't stand the thought of drinking hormones, steroids, and pesticides. If you buy very thick skinned fruits such as watermelon, the odds of the chemicals getting through the skin are almost nil. I buy chicken and beef from a local farmer who free ranges, and grass feeds his animals with no antibiotics or steroids. I think the chemicals that are used in the huge farms owned by big corporations are extremely unhealthy and can cause not only obesity, but various other illnesses. I think the reason we have strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria (some that can be deadly) is due to the overuse of antibiotics in our foods. I think part of the reason we have some young girls and boys maturing at such an early age and suffering from overweight is due to steroids, hormones, and antibiotics in our foods and milk. Adding chemicals, steroids, hormones, and antibiotics is an inexpensive way for big corporations to multiply their produce and livestock to make the most money possible.

Answer 3

Shopping organic is, by itself, not enough to make a difference in how people treat animals, the earth, or its resources. However, buying organic foods, plus recycling everything possible, plus refusing to buy items that have absolutely no recycling potential, plus refusing to buy meat produced by companies shown to engage in cruel practices will certainly help.

To encourage others to live earth friendly lifestyles you must first live one yourself. If you can show others that you sacrifice no comfort by following an earth-friendly lifestyle you may be able to convince others to join you in such a lifestyle.

The primary reason organic foods are more expensive is that they are much more labor-intensive to produce and there is a far lesser crop-to-acreage ratio, meaning the grower has to charge more per pound in order to make a profit. And, since a true organic grower won't use pesticides and herbicides there will be a greater percentage of lost crop per acre.

Answer 4

yes, but in a negative way. organics still have pesticides on them, just less. they mainly rely on manure as a source of food.
price is outragous. i would consider buying farm fresh-right off the vine, bush, or whatever. just use a veggie and fruit cleanser and rinse well. all smaller farms are protected and have to maintain strict guidlines as to how much pesticides they can use and what kind. you would think the less chemicals used, the price would be LOWER not higher, but considering crops are usually much smaller than farm manufacterer's and the farm needs to meet a specific income to remain operable (gov helps with this too) usually organic means higher priced, not lower. so the tax theory is out.
organic foods are usually have more pests, meaning throw away, so maybe the tax theory is correct, but regardless, your paying more.

being earth friendly is a good practice. buy your produce on sale (oranics or commercially grown)

as for meats? why pay more for free roaming chickens than for ones who are kept in pins small enough for no-one?

recycle. buy frozen veggies and fruits too. alternate. just don't go broke doing it.

Answer 5

Reduce what you buy,reuse what you have ,recycle what you don't need.Compost organic waste.Convert your incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent.Walk,cycle,or use public transportation where practical.Get a low emission vehicle such as a toyota ,if you need a car.Carpool if you have to commute by car.Avoid using jets unless you have to be somewhere in a hurry.Support companies that are environmentally responsible.Support organic non-gmo food growers .Grow your own vegetables ,if you have the space and inclination.Get a water-conserving toilet ,if you own your own place.Use water conserving showerheads.Fix leaking faucets.Use heating and air-conditioning sparingly.(a little cooler in winter,a little hotter in summer)Share this information with other people ,but only if they express an interest.Do not proselytise.

Answer 6

Organic and free range are entirely different things. A friend of mine has about 200 free-range chooks but he is not certified organic and neither does he want to be. His eggs are delicious. A woman near here is certified organic and sells organic eggs at a local market for twice what you would pay for ordinary eggs. Her chooks are kept in cages and fed organic wheat and nothing else.

Organic is generally a complete rip-off.

Answer 7

'Organic' food is a waste of money and harmful to the environment (well at least more harmful than more conventionally grown food).

Because there is limited use of pesticides and herbicides 'organic' food requires more land to grow which means that more trees need to be chopped down thereby meaning more habitat loss than would be the case without using faith based agriculture.

It should also be noted that a lot of the pesticides that are allowed to be used on 'organic' foods (and yes, they do allow some) are a lot worse than the ones they ban.

Subsidies are a tricky issue but it does seem that even without any so called 'organic' foods would still be a lot more expensive than conventionally grown foods (and even if they weren't the lower quality would justify avoiding them if you can).

Buying 'organic' food might make you feel good but it isn't going to help the environment or cute little animals at all and is probably harming them.

Answer 8

Organic simply means there are no genetically altered properties of the food or there are no pesticides. It has nothing to do with the treatment of animals as far as I know, or the resources of the earth.

It is more expensive because since it has no chemical treatments to resist rotting or stay fresh longer like altered food does, it requires more difficult methods of transport, and/or it must be grown on a smaller scale of farm so the farmer has to charge more.

Answer 9

I don't know, but I buy organic foods a lot. Whole foods market is awesome.