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New! Search All Of My Articles By Topic With Quick and Easy Links If you like these articles, please link to them, instead of copying them. Thank you. Green Living Now News, Edition Twenty-Eight 1.
Which Food Is Better For Our Environment And Us:
By Amy Todisco Local or organic, is this our only choice? Some argue that it is, but I think not. Why not local organic? Or, homegrown organic? If you are concerned about health, yours and the farm workers, isn't organic always the choice? But, what if local organic or homegrown isn't an option, is it more important to support your local economy? Let me go right to what I believe are the best choices, and then take a look at all of the options. For me the ideal choice is homegrown organic and trading with my friends and neighbors for their organic food-- the things I don't grow myself. That's what my Aunt Jojo used to do in Morgantown Virginia. Nobody grew tomatoes like Jojo. They were so flavorful, red, and sweet. I haven't had any that good since. All of her veggies tasted great, and her dinner table was always graced with colorful fresh homegrown flowers. She also made her own soap and dried herbs and garlic from her garden. She traded for chicken from a neighbor, and rarely entered a supermarket (well, maybe that's because Uncle Harry was the one to go from time to time.) She also canned, dried and froze food from her garden for the rest of the year. That was a sustainable way to live. My friend, Kelly, is doing that today-in Northwestern Vermont. What's even more impressive is that they're on a renewable energy system--they aren't hooked up to the electrical grid. Oh, and Kelly sells raw organic milk from her family cow, Spring. I love that stuff. Complete with probiotics and enzymes. I've been drinking raw organic milk for several years and I feel good. Another neighbor who is lactose intolerant can drink raw milk, but not pasteurized and homogenized milk, even if it's organic. (See why raw organic milk is a healthful option.) A good second option is locally grown organic (within a 100 mile radius of your home), especially if it's from a small family farm. I believe that local means, locally grown in season. Growing in a greenhouse, unless it's powered with renewable energy, is very energy intensive-not good for the environment. In addition to the food I grow myself, I buy from the Jubilee organic farm 2 miles down the road. It's amazing, really. I can go in to the barn at any time of day or night, pick what I want from the refrigerator or on one of the tables, and put the money into the cash box. Theft has been rare-even in this day and age. What a gift. Fresh, healthy, and totally convenient. There's a whole movement to eat local. There are also lots of farmer's markets all over the state of Vermont. I bet there are some in your state too. (Find them here). I go to those too, but find most of my food needs are fulfilled between my garden and Jubilee. Up the road we have another organic farm where they sell grass fed beef, pork and chicken. Great stuff, a bit pricey. (I don't eat beef, but I've heard it's tasty. Grass fed is much better for the animals, the environment, and us. For more information, check this out: http://www.foodrevolution.org/grassfedbeef.htm). Getting to know the farmers you buy from is really important. You can ask what their agriculture practices are. Visiting the farm, and helping out, is even better. When we lived in Massachusetts we joined a community supported agriculture group (CSA). We paid a set fee up front for a certain amount of fresh, organic produce during the growing season. The idea behind a CSA is to support the farmer by paying up front. The only downside of a CSA is if the weather isn't good (drought or excessive rainfall, early frost, or some other weather event) you may not get as much food as you had anticipated. It's really shocking to think that by the end of the 20th Century only 2% of our population was working on farms . So, if only 2% of the population is growing all of our food, what does that say about the size these farms have to be? Doesn't sound very sustainable. Though I am an eternal optimist, I can't help but wonder what will happen to our food supply if the weather gets even more bizarre and makes growing food outside difficult, or if there is a purposeful attack on our food supply. Concentrating our food growing into a few mega farms, whether they are organic or conventional does not make sense. I really like farm fresh food from small family farms. But, if you don't have any land to grow on, no organic neighbors growing nearby, no farmer's markets or CSA's, or you don't have green thumb, then what are your choices? And, how do these choices compare as far as human health, the environment, and reducing our carbon footprint (global warming/climate change)? Fossil fuels: There's no question that conventionally grown food uses a lot of fossil fuels. 19% of fossil fuels is used for field machinery, and 16% for transporting crops (The numbers are from 1994. Source: http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/100303_eating_oil.html) Apparently, shipping food by rail was more energy efficient, but in recent decades there's been a switch to trucking, which uses a lot of fuel. Then there's the energy needed to refrigerate the food. We also need to consider the materials, energy and time to package the food. When I consider the fossil fuels used to truck an organic tomato to Vermont from California in the winter and the fossil fuels and other chemicals used to grow a conventional tomato in Vermont during the growing season, it may be a wash. But, since I always think of health first, I still come out in favor of the organic tomato because I choose to avoid chemicals in my food. I also don't like the idea of farm workers on conventional farms doused with pesticides and other chemicals. If I am comparing an organic tomato from California or a conventional one in the winter, it's a no brainer, I chose the organic. Though the fossil fuel used to truck it to me is the same, the fossil fuels used on the large conventional farm in the form of pesticides, farming equipment and synthetic fertilizer pushes it over the top. But, I also have to ask the question, how large is the organic farm in California? Are they really adhering to strict organic practices? And, what about the conventional local farm. How conventional are they? Do they use chemical pesticides and fertilizers? Or do they farm sustainably but just can't afford to pay for the organic certification? Consider that since the USDA has gotten involved in regulating organic farms, they've tried to lower the standards for organic by including fertilizer made from sewage sludge, allowing genetically engineered seeds, and using food irradiation. Thankfully, we the public spoke out so fervently against this that it did not pass. Health: Independent studies are coming out showing that some organic food is healthier than it's conventional counterparts. A recent study from UC Davis (6/23/07) showed that the two flavonoids: quercetin and kaempferol were 79% and 97% higher in dried organic tomatoes versus dried conventional tomatoes over a ten-year period. And, the levels of flavonoids increased over time in the organic samples and not the conventional ones. A University of California Davis study found that a sample of organic kiwis had more nutrients than the non-organic sample. (http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/114202162/ABSTRACT) In a Warsaw (Poland) Agriculture University study found a sample of organic tomatoes to contain more vitamin C, beta-carotene and flavonoids than non-organic tomatoes (http://orgprints.org/9944/) And, yet another Warsaw Agriculture study found organic apple puree to contain more phenols, flavonoids, and vitamin C than non-organic apple puree (http://orgprints.org/9943/) There is also a study in France that found organic peaches to be
higher in polyphenols than non-organic peaches. (http://orgprints.org/9855/) Even if conventional foods don't turn out to be as dangerous as organic advocates claim, several recent studies have suggested that organic foods contain higher levels of vitamins than their conventionally grown counterparts. In a paper published in October in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a team from the University of California, Davis, demonstrates that organically grown tomatoes have significantly more vitamin C than conventional tomatoes. In the UK paper, The Telegraph, the article, "It's official: organic really is better", it says this: "This sort of research is music to our ears," says Robin Maynard, campaigns director at the Soil Association, which promotes organic farming. "We know from a study carried out between 1940 and 1991 by the now defunct Ministry of Agriculture that UK-grown produce has shown a 12 to 76 per cent drop in a range of key nutrients…Non-organic farming uses more than 400 active ingredients, some of which prove to be so toxic they end up being banned. The founding ethos of the Soil Association is that healthy soil means healthy plants, healthy animals and healthy people. When a reputable study like this is published, people's gut feeling that organic production methods are right is backed up by science." http://www.telegraph.co.uk/wine/main.jhtml?xml=/wine/2007/07/14/edorganic114.xml No discussion of food and health are complete without mentioning fast food, something Americans have become addicted to. Did you know that 34% of the total food consumed in the U.S. is fast food. Americans consume approximately 3,600 food calories per day. The world average is 2700 calories/day. Eating all that junky fast food devoid of nutrition makes our bodies want to consume more food to meet our nutritional needs. No wonder we have an obesity problem. For more on fast food, read the book and/or see the movie, Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser and Richard Linklateror, and see the movie, "Supersize Me" written by Morgan Spurlock. Taste & Freshness: How fresh is the food once it arrives at the distribution point? One estimate I heard was that produce is at least one week old by the time it reaches the supermarket shelves. How fresh is it by the time we eat it? What's left in the way of nutrition? Some conventional foods are waxed or artificially colored to appear fresher, and irradiated to supposedly kill bacteria that contributes to spoilage. Genetically engineered food is designed in part to stay fresher longer. Good for the retailer, not so good for the consumer. So, even if your conventional food looks fresher, chances are it has been synthetically preserved in some way. Organic foods tend to spoil faster because they are usually picked at the peak of ripeness. Many conventional foods ripen after they've been picked, which is why conventional tomatoes in the winter taste like golf balls (not that I've actually eaten golf balls...) Locally grown food is usually sold within 24 hours of being picked. Food picked at the peak of ripeness often tastes much better and contains more nutrients. Supporting the local economy: Buying locally, whether organic or conventional keeps your food dollars in your community. Buying from a chain supermarket or box store, who knows how much of the money stays in your area? Buying directly from the farmer cuts out the middleman and gives the retail price of the food to the farmer. Preserve open spaces: This is what the Grinning Planet website says about protecting open spaces, "Communities across the country have found that protecting open space, parks, and farm land is a strategy that can be used to strengthen existing communities, attract businesses, and avoid the costs of urban and suburban sprawl. As part of a package of smart growth programs and policies, communities that offer a high quality of life (including well maintained neighborhood parks and regional park systems) consistently attract and retain businesses." (http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/02-15/farm-land-sprawl-smart-growth-article.htm) From an environmental and human health perspective, it makes sense that an organic farm would be a healthier choice than a conventional farm. Genetic Diversity: Most U.S. produce is grown in California, Washington and Florida. So, unless you live in one of those states, it has to be trucked to your local supermarket. Often the varieties chosen are selected for their ability to withstand the harvesting equipment and extended travel. What happens to the taste? This is the case for both organic and conventional. There is more likely to be a larger variety with locally grown produce, which means more flavor. I love growing heirloom varieties. Here's what Marie Hofer of HGTV Ideas Magazine says about heirlooms, "These days 90 percent of the world's food supply comes from just 20 species. Scientists fear that when a new pest threatens a species, an heirloom variety that could have been resistant may already have disappeared." So, get out there and buy that fresh local organic produce before the season ends! Bon Appetit. http://www.grist.org/advice/books/2006/05/18/fromartz/index.html http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/114202162/ABSTRACT
By Amy Todisco Monsanto's rBGH hormone is being driven out of the market. Hurray. From the Organic Consumer's Association, "The synthetic hormone is banned in most of the world, due to its links to prostate and breast cancer. Although it is still being injected into thousands of dairy herds in the U.S., grassroots pressure from health-minded consumers and public interest groups, like the OCA, have caused Starbucks, Chipotle, and many supermarket chains to put pressure on their dairy suppliers to stop using the drug. " Read more here: http://www.organicconsumers.org/rbghlink.cfm 3. Not So Good News...
Think commercials on TV don't influence
our children? In a new study in the Archives of Pediatrics &
Adolescent Medicine, researchers found that 4 out of 5 preschool
age kids said they preferred the flavor of foods served in McDonald's
packaging versus the exact same foods served in packaging without
the McDonald's brand. The more TV sets in the home and the more
frequently they ate at McDonalds had a greater effect. Read more:
http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/161/8/792 It's free to subscribe to my monthly newsletter. Sign up for Green Living Expert, Amy Todisco's, Sign up for our FREE newsletter now: Any Questions? Don't hesitate to contact me,
Amy Todisco,
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