Going Green!

Why Eat Green?

By Nicole Cogar Grade 12 Horizons Home Study Concord, CA

Everyone is, or should be, trying to find a way to be more "green". An easy and healthy way to become greener is to eat greener. But what exactly are green foods? Any organically grown foods are greener, and better for you and the environment, than the usual food items you would buy. Foods that are grown organically are not treated with conventional pesticides or artificial fertilizers, are free from contamination by human or industrial waste, and are processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. Organic livestock are raised without the routine use of antibiotics or growth hormones and are fed a healthy diet. Producers of organic foods are required to obtain special certification in order to market their food as organic. Historically, organic farms have been small family-run farms and their foods were only available in small stores or at farmers' markets. But since the early 1990's organic food production has been on the rise by about 20% a year, the fastest growing division in the American food marketplace. Organic food accounts for 1-2% of food sales worldwide, 2.6% in America, and future growth is expected to range from 10-50% annually depending on the country. Worldwide organic food sales went from $23 billion in 2002 to $40 billion in 2006. Organic products are also now available in nearly 20,000 natural food stores and about 70% of conventional grocery stores. Since it costs more for farmers to grow and raise organic food and livestock, it can cost the consumer around 10-40% more to buy the organic foods versus their counterparts. But consider the advantages: you would be buying something that is healthier for you because you won't consume any pesticides, fertilizers, radiation, or additives, or livestock that was raised poorly with antibiotics and hormones. Organic fruits and vegetables have also been found to have 40% more antioxidants than conventionally grown produce. You would also be buying something that is healthier for the environment by supporting food production that doesn't pollute the Earth with pesticides, fertilizers, or radiation, that better sustains diverse ecosystems, uses less energy, and produces less waste than conventional farming. It has been said that organic methods could produce enough food on a global per capita basis to sustain the current human population, and potentially an even larger population, without increasing the agricultural land base. Hopefully one day all foods will be grown, raised, and produced organically to help keep us and the environment we live in healthier and greener. But for now head over to the organic section at your nearby grocery store, or since foods grown locally are even better because they don't have to be transported as far which equals less fossil fuel emissions, head down to your local farmers market and support the farmers in your area and a greener Earth. So remember, go green, eat green, be green! Source: http://www.thegreennews.net/show.php?media=article&id=2008-11-24%2011:31:02