my other post got too long, so I'm making it two!
from the green guide, which I mentioned previously, I found some good-to-know recommendations that I intend to try to start following. if you go to their website they'll share the logic, but right now I'm just going for the list.
if possible, buy the following organic: (local too, but in this case organic is more important due to health implications) meat, milk, coffee, peaches, apples, sweet bell pepper, celery, strawberries, lettuces, grapes, potatoes and tomatoes.
and for the following, organic isn't so key: asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cabbage, kiwi, mango, onions, papayas and pineapple. you can also get cauliflower, brussel sprouts, blueberries, eggplant and earthy mushrooms without concern.
see the thing is, it's a common misconception--organic does not automatically mean "awesome." and an organically grown banana isn't necessarily any better for you than a conventionally grown one. plus, though there's the benefit of less pesticides, some organic produce actually requires more water. it's a little give and take--just wanted to make sure that y'all knew that the benefit comes in the lack of pesticides, and that it isn't always environmentally friendly. PLUS, buying organic whatevers from california likely is worse for the environment that purchasing that same thing from a local farmer, due to the pollution contribution.
oh, and grow your own veggies and herbs. if you want, I'll help you. just let me know. :)
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
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7 comments:
Funny thing... we buy around 85% or more organic in our house. I was in a pinch and picked up some conventional blueberries for Amari. He refused to eat them even after I washed them, so I tasted them and found out why. They tasted like chemicals! :( I went and bought him some organic ones and threw the rest of the others out.
Oh-- and we are part of a CSA this year! You can find them all over the country-- local farmers, most organic, some not.
Oh, forgot the link. I used this site: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ to find local CSAs. :)
I believe it. there are SO many factors. I'm not saying organic isn't good--it's just that it's not magic like some people think.
but it does often taste much better.
my work does CSA and I looked into it, but there is NO WAY I could do it--they do food in quantities for a family of four, and even dividing that by four I wouldn't get to eat half of what I was given.
funny about amari though!
A couple of things on the CSA--
Shop around. I would have the same problem, so I found one that has you pay a "deposit" and they deduct the value of what you take each week. That way you can buy-- say $200 worth of produce-- on the CSA.
Maybe you know of someone you can go in with? Just a thought.
I don't think organic is perfect, but once you go organic, it is really hard to go back. The food does taste differently, and what I found in searching for a CSA is that you can find local organic produce at fairly reasonable costs. Check local farmer's markets, etc. Whole Foods also does a "buy local" thing. At ours, we can buy Bixby eggs! LOL!
If the organic item is taking up more water, was the pesticide use supplementing the water? If so, wouldn't the pesticide have an increased bio-accumulation? It has to get the moisture somewhere... Honest questions-- I'd look in to it more myself, but I don't know specifically which produce you found that out on.
well, right. it's the uninformed consumer who things that organic=amazing. it's like they think it's full of supervitamins or something. and you, as I know, are not uninformed--you're into research. :)
actually, I think I read it one of the green guide's things--that it organic produce can require more water for the same yield. from another source (that I totally cannot remember but it was science-ee) I recall something about how it's not the water used to provide the plant the liquid needed--it's water used for cleaning the plants or something like that. it has nothing to do with the growth process, directly. my educated guess is that it has something to do with what ever is accumulating on the plant since there's not pesticides? I really don't know. I'll add it to my list of things to look up.
also, I tried to get people to go in with me--but I couldn't find enough. with how much I am traveling right now I may just try for going to the farmers market and whole foods/earth fare when I can and going from there...but I'm still buying conventional fruit if it isn't scary pesticide-ee. for now. it's not something you change overnight.
thanks for the link though, because I will deffo check it out and see what my options are!
Ah-- that makes more sense. I thought you meant in irrigation, and I wasn't wrapping my brain around that.
It takes time to make the change, but if you start doing it slowly, it becomes habit, and then there just is no going back! :) I'm working on green cleaning these days... and trying to figure out composting so I can have a small fruit garden next year.
One step at a time...
carrie, I have the name of a service somewhere that allows you to order a selection of organic produce for 2, 4, 6, etc. people at a time for weekly delivery. I think it's on my computer at home, I will look and get back to you. If I don't, REMIND ME!
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