Don’t Hate Me, I’m Organic
I’m very passionate about healthy, green, sustainable living, and while our household hasn’t perfected the art of erasing our environmental impact yet, we’re trying very hard to get there.
I recently read an interesting article about the food we eat, namely what may be left on it while it sits in the produce section of your grocery store. Another informative piece on the importance of knowing what you’re eating, because unless you know your food source or buy organics, chances are you’re produce has potentially toxic pesticide and herbicide residues all over it.
Safe Pesticides?
What I found to be more interesting than the article, however, was the debate it sparked. One commenter, so far the lone dissenting opinion, made the argument that commercially grown produce is safe for consumption, and that pesticide residues are below EPA standards. His other point was that if you think you’re safe buying and consuming organics, to think again. It’s his opinion that certain plants are more dangerous and/or toxic than most pesticides – things like caffeine, vanillin, capsaicin, and the allicin contained in garlic.
I’ve lived in California’s Central San Joaquin Valley for nearly thirty years, and know what pesticides can do to the environment, to the people who consume them, live near them, and work with them. I cannot feel comfortable with the idea that pesticides are OK because some of their detectable residues fall below EPA standards. Time and again we discover that government standards fall far short of reality.
I have serious health issues, and so do many of the people I know and love who have spent time in the valley I hail from. California’s Central Valley was once known as the bread basket to the world. Now we’re left to contend with air pollution so bad we have “Spare the Air” days, sky rocketing cases of asthma and allergies, and polluted ground water sources too. It’s not all sunshine in the Golden State anymore.
Why I Choose Organic
Besides my concerns about good health, I choose to buy organic because it’s better for the environment, and better for the folks who work hard to produce the products I like to eat and use. I care about the workers and manufacturers who grow and make the items buy, plus I care about the environment. I feel it’s my responsibility to make informed, conscious choices when I shop – it’s not all about my needs.
What about the needs of others? It may sound grandiose or cliche, but I care about the little guys around the world and here at home who work tremendously hard so I can buy the things that make my life a little sweeter, and a whole lot easier. I also care about the world we’re leaving for our children – and I mean than in the global sense. I want my kids to have clean, healthy food and water, as I’m sure any parent would list that as one of their top priorities. So why not want the same for all parents and children who dwell on this Earth ?
It really boils down to my convictions. Organic isn’t just a fad or catch phrase for me, it’s a way of life. I do my best to put my money where my mouth is – literally.
What about you? Where do your feelings lie when it comes to buying organic? Feel free to leave a comment and let us know! 
Michelle
I'm a lover of life and all things natural and organic. I love practicing yoga, making healthy foods, nature photography, DIY projects, making homemade beauty treats, and creating handmade jewelry. I'm passionate about a lot of things and write about them here on my blog. Peace, social justice, good food, green beauty, sustainable living - you name it, I care about it. Thanks for taking the time to visit me. Peace. ;)
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I have slowly been changing some of our routine items to organic without the kids knowing- or hubby either for that matter. I have a friend who has chickens- free-range grass fed no additives to food chickens. I get eggs from her. I also get chickens from her. And pork. And a Thanksgiving Turkey. She raises all these and they are processed for her by a local guy that she approves of… not an easy thing when you have very very strict criteria for your meat!
Last year we went in together and bought a cow. From a local guy who raises them as naturally as possible.
I grow veggies and buy them from the farmer down the street. Same with fruits. I freeze fresh fruits and veggies this time of year to use through the winter- with the cow and pig and chickens I get from the farm.
Finding organic on a budget is getting easier, you just have to look- hard- to find the deals!
And with a family of 7 hungry people, I’m all about the deals!
dawn recently posted..Resolutions Revisited
Hi Dawn,
You’re so lucky to have some animals handy. We’ve been thinking about getting some chickens for eggs and the occasional chicken dinner. We’ve thought about getting a cow too – fresh milk would be lovely. My husband has a friend who owns quite a bit of land and raises an assortment of animals, so we’ve thought of doing something with him too to supplement our growing grocery bills.
You need to be creative when you have to feed a large family. You have seven? Wow, we’re a family of five, and it’s always a challenge to come up with meals that everyone will want to eat (everyone has their own tastes). I do find, however, that when you eat a variety of natural foods, especially when you eat a lot of fruits, veggies, seeds, and nuts, you really don’t have to eat that much at meal time – that saves a lot on the grocery bill.
Thanks for joining in the discussion, Dawn!
I also believe in making informed, conscious choices and I, too, purchase organic products for health and environmental reasons. I don’t yet buy everything organic, but I’m at about 75%. Some things cost more, but I believe that the cost is worth it (because the cost of not buying it is just too great in my opinion).
Leanne Chesser recently posted..3 Great Vegetarian Blogs
Hi Leanne,
We don’t buy everything organic either, but that’s because we live on a very tight budget. We try to supplement our grocery bills with homegrown food items, and buy organic items when we can. There are certain things I won’t use or eat unless they’re organic – things like produce from EWG’s Toxic 12 List.
We try to keep things simple at out house, and make the items we use, like soap, vinegar, and baking soda, mutli-task. It saves money, is natural, and there’s less of an environmental impact as well (less trash, less plastic, etc.).
Thanks for joining in the discussion!
We don’t buy organic, mainly because the price of it is so much higher. If I can buy bananas for 89p then I’m not going to buy the organic ones for 1.60. Our budget is tight so anywhere we can save money we will.
That being said I do agree with eating organic foods, In fact we’ll be growing our own fruit and veg next year so I guess we’re doing are bit
Gemma recently posted..Top 4 London Parks
Hi Gemma,
How cool it is to meet someone from the UK!
I agree with you, the cost of organic can be very price prohibitive. We live on a very tight budget here too. We buy what we can, and have to opt for the cheaper, non-organic items at times. There are certain things we won’t sacrifice, and if we can’t afford to buy the organic version we leave it all together until we can.
Good luck with your garden, hopefully it will be a great success. Thanks for visiting Green Earth Bazaar, and for taking the time to leave a comment. I love the interaction!
[New Post] The Organic Debate – via #twitoaster http://greenearthbazaar.com/2010/08/the-...
You and I have similar approaches to why we choose organic. I’m about caring for everything and everyone on the earth. It simply makes more sense for me to gravitate to the more natural stuff. I put my trust what God created more than what man creates, ultimately. We’re all in this planet together, so let’s try to keep it harmonious!
FreshGreenKim recently posted..Single Serve Green
Very well said Kim! I put all my trust in God too, after all He did create the universe and all it contains.
Thanks for joining in the discussion.