Eco-Friendly Products

Conventionally farmed produce often relies on unsustainable methods to produce high yields in the short term. Synthetic chemical inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides have been linked to cancers, neurological problems and hormonal disturbances, which affect both humans and wildlife. Reliance on monoculture, or planting one crop in a field over successive years, can strip soil of its natural nutrients, requiring farmers to use synthetic fertilizers. A 2001 study of Washington State apple orchards also concluded that conventional farming systems resulted in lower soil quality and energy efficiency than organic farming systems. Conventional farming can threaten wildlife populations with pesticides and herbicides, as well as with the intrusion of croplands into natural habitats.

Organic farming methods attempt to address the environmental and health issues presented by conventional farming. Government, corporate and non-profit institutions worldwide maintain their own standards for food labeled “organic.” In the United States, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees organic certification through its National Organic Program. A product can be certified organic if it has been farmed without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers from wastewater sludge, synthetic additives, or in the case of meat, hormones or antibiotics. Organic produce cannot be treated with these chemicals or be grown in soil containing them. The product also cannot be a genetically modified organism or have been subjected to irradiation.

Organic farming is more healthful for the environment in that does not rely on pesticides and other synthetic chemicals that remain in the environment as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which are toxic to humans and wildlife. Organic farming does not contribute nitrogenous chemicals from fertilizers to waterways, which cause algal blooms, oxygen depletion and the death of aquatic wildlife. Organic agriculture aims to keep a sustainable mineral content in the soil. Smaller organic farms that do not use pesticides are also less intrusive to natural habitats, helping preserve biodiversity.

There is still much controversy over how the healthfulness of organic produce compares to that of conventional produce where mineral content is concerned, though studies have shown organic produce to have a much lower pesticide concentration than conventional produce. A 2003 study of 23 schoolchildren revealed the presence of organophosphate pesticides in urine samples while the children were on a non-organic diet. Organophosphates are commonly used in agricultural production and are know to cause neurological effects in humans and animals. After switching to organic foods for five days, the pesticide levels in the children’s bodies dropped to nearly undetectable levels, spiking again after they resumed eating non-organic foods.

Reducing the release of toxic pesticides into the environment is one of the main advantages of consuming organic produce. Consumers can also reduce their contribution of toxic pollutants to the environment by consuming fewer disposable products in favor of reusable bags and cups, using household cleaners and personal care products without synthetic ingredients known to be toxic, and reducing electricity use.