[Lån-Penge]

Hippies

[Pelefaifs]

Dioxins DDT Overproduction and soil depletion

[FallJimerks]

Inorganic food

[mralabama]

Organic doesn't mean what it used to. Things that are certified as organic are not neccisarily that much better than anything else.

Organic used to mean that the food was grown locally, in a sustainable fashion, without any poisons. These are not neccisarily true of the "organic" produce that you buy at the grocery store.

[Super-Luser]

Tripple con really, the super markets markup their organic stuff more than their normal products because they know the people who are willing to pay extra for organic food are willing to pay a lot more extra. They can separate out the those would would buy their foods at really high prices and charge them those prices, without losing the customers that wouldn't pay those prices.

[mikeydesignzinc]

That is true and if suckers want to pay those prices then, hey, that's the free market at work. There is one great thing which has come out of this whole organic foods movement and that is that consumers have gotten a lot more choices which has indeed improved quality. One of the ways organic producers set themselves apart originally wasn't just that they were organic farmers but they also used heirloom verities of various crops which the big packing companies didn't want to touch.

Many of those heirloom verities really do taste better because they were selected/breed simply for best taste where as the packing companies select for things like toughness (so that they won't bruise), size, long shelf life, etc... Now some of the regular packing companies are selling traditionally farmed heirloom verities so that everyone can now get these fruits & veggies without having to pay the 20%-30% organic price premium. That's a positive development for consumers which wouldn't have happened without the organic movement.

[Wachearex]

Rotenone breaks down pretty easily. There's going to be negligible residue by the time the produce is harvested much less when it reaches the market. You're ruining my scare tactic...

[ashleyjoseph]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Just wash your food before you eat it. Potential problems gone. It's probably a good idea to do it for all produce not just organically grown.

[Kneedycrype]

Actually, many "organic" methods can be as effective, and sometimes moreso, than the chemical methods they replace. In fruit orchards for instance, they used to have to spray insecticides for certain pests, where now pheromone mating disruption (insect porn!) does the job cheaper and better, without introducing harmful chemicals into the environment.

The problem is when people disregard science because it's findings are "natural" or not. What matters is what is effective and safe, and it can go both ways.

[usaneisfiecup]

Whatever "organic" really means, it's madness to advocate extensive agriculture as an environmentalist.

[DOWNLOADnowADOBEphotoSHOP]

Even hippies are motivated by greed. The moment big business got in on the act with organic, any potential good it may have done went swiftly out of the window...

One of the biggest scandals in this country is what so-called 'organic' companies need to do to be 'organic'. Often due to terribly lax laws in this country it is easily possible to hoodwink the general public where for instance if about 10% of your chickens are out gambolling in the fields, the other 90% can be locked up in batteries and you can still get away with calling your chickens 'free range' - same sort of **** happens with 'organic'...

Just like the great kona coffee scandal where your average drinker is only drinking 10% kona in their 'blends'...

Still, it does avoid nitrate run-off causing eutrophication, and this movement has probably brought more scrutiny to bear on the chemicals we spray or pump into our food, so that it is being better audited - so that can only be a good thing!

Me, the only think I subscribe to is the concept of local produce, and all the better if it is produced in a ethical manner. Luckily in Wales, that is most places - especially if you have the privilege to get to know the farmers and the stock themselves, so you actually get to know exactly where everything comes from...

Personally I think Fairtrade is a load of old tosh as well...

[deermealec]

Originally posted by MOBIUS

Personally I think Fairtrade is a load of old tosh as well...

[Tazqoaap]

Weren't you arrested for putting death threats on your myspace page?

[SasortFkire]

wtf?

[vqIo7X2U]

Originally posted by b etor
wtf? Sorry, I meant the girl whose picture you lifted for your cover story.

[h4z1XBI7]

Originally posted by Oerdin
We've known for a long time that the health claims were bogus but the environmental claims sometimes are scientifically defensible. The dead zones we find at the mouths of many rivers such as the Mississippi are a result of chemical fertilizer run off going into streams and rivers and then getting concentrated at the mouths of rivers. The extra nutrients cause an algae bloom which sucks up all the oxygen in the water killing all the fish.

Theoretically since organic farms don't use such fertilizers, preferring things like cow manure which is slightly less mobile then chemical sprays, there wouldn't be so much run off. Of course there is a decrease in field productivity with organic farms. Save many/most of them don't use cow manure but prefer high nitrate chicken manure chock full of those very self same nitrates that cause the issues you describe and for added measure have a tendency to cause such niceties as samonella, dysentery, etc. in the water supplies.

But what would I know growing up on a farm and all.

[Accecyncphory]

Originally posted by DaShi


Sorry, I meant the girl whose picture you lifted for your cover story. that's my picture.
there are no death threats on my page.

[EbrsaRynleot]

what are you talking about!?

[highattainlet]

Originally posted by Cort Haus
Neither better for you, nor the environment. Old news.

[Gazeboss]

Originally posted by Geronimo


It's probably a good idea to do it for all produce not just organically grown. I was refering to the none organicly grown veggies. The pesticide "problem" is easily eliminated by simply washing your food before you eat it. Yes, I'd recommend washing even the organic stuff before eating as well.