It's been the buzz word heard around the world for several years.  Farmers, new parents, college students: everyone is discussing organics.  And while it's a label adorning everything from the clothing we buy to the food we eat to the stuffing used in our dog beds, there's genuine reason to worry that the word is being diluted, misappropriated, and misunderstood. On a simple level, it appears that many people are missing the real point of organics, which is to grow and farm sustainably and in harmony with the earth and its inhabitants.

Food is one of the primary topics that come to mind to the mainstream public when talking about organic and with good reason.  Organic food has been honored with numerous accolades from having more nutrients than conventional foods to helping prevent diseases to simply being safer to eat.  Despite all the honors associated with organics and a large increase in demand for organics over the past decade, millions of consumers still haven't been convinced of the importance of buying organic.

The Environmental Working Group's "dirty dozen" list is comprised of the fruits and vegetables that have the highest level of pesticide residues and includes spinach, apples, and peaches.  With the current economy, everyone's food dollar needs to stretch as far as possible, so it is important to prioritize what people are buying. However, the list has lead people to believe that if they are buying produce not included in the "dirty dozen", the risk of ingesting chemicals and pesticides is low and the foods are safe to eat. 

While pesticide levels may be lower or unlikely to make it through the skin or peel of a fruit or vegetable, choosing organic produce affects many more people than simply the customer looking to buy the healthiest foods for him or herself.   One of the larger problems in organics is that some consumers view choosing organic only as a personal, individual health issue.  

Looking beyond ourselves, the reasons to support organic are plentiful.  On a human rights level, the workers on organic farms are being exposed to less pesticides and less harmful chemicals.  While farming organically doesn't necessarily ensure that the workers' wages are fair or working conditions are ideal, these workers are able to make a living without putting themselves and their future progeny at risk.  Among a panoply of other claims, various studies have shown that exposure to pesticides greatly increases potential risk for asthma in farmers and may have increased the risk of childhood cancers in children of pesticide applicators.  So even if the chemicals sprayed upon the banana you are about to eat won't affect you specifically, we must consider the well-being of the person who harvested that fruit.

Organic farms generally produce less waste, and the waste that is produced is less toxic, so surrounding rivers, forests, and ecosystems have less to contend with. In addition to reducing some of the negative aspects of farming, organic agriculture can even provide a growing niche market and can help preserve lands threatened by deforestation.  Sambazon acai provides one example of how this symbiotic relationship can flourish: harvesting acai has become more worthwhile for local Brazilian farmers than clear-cutting the Amazonian rainforests.  Jobs are created, trees are saved, and a superfood is born.

Such partnerships are especially important in developing nations where, until recently, many farmers practiced the organic farming lifestyle without ever using that label.  With globalization, more widespread access to chemicals, and the pressure for these farmers to produce more food quickly and cheaply, it can be tempting to turn to chemicals to facilitate this process.  Consumer interest in organics offers a way for these farmers to continue their traditional agricultural methods and still make a profitable living.

Of course, organic doesn't mean perfect.  The road to organic certification is paved with fees, tons of paperwork, and an unbelievable attention to details and notekeeping.  And organic no longer exclusively means small, family-run farms and growing with tender care.  Some farmers have chosen to forgo the title, yet they still follow the tenets of organic agriculture including crop rotation and less pesticides, choosing to tend their land in a more health and viable manner.  Talking to local farmers is generally the best way to find out how they are treating their land and how strong their commitment is to producing healthy food in a sustainable manner.

While the label "organic" is flawed and ever-changing, the need for consumers to embrace its ideals is constant.  Jane Goodall in Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating reminds us that every food purchase is a vote.  When you buy organics, you are voting not just for yourself and your own health, but for the health and wellbeing of those who grew and prepared your food, the land from which it came, and for the future.

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