Organic v. Local
Posted by jane, 892 days ago
Link: http://www.opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110008494 
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Reading article "Organic v. Local" - Reply to this / 29 comment(s)
I came across this article today and it reminded that I was intending to start a discussion along these lines.
When you do your shopping, what's your priority? Organic, therefore supposedly healthier and tastier for you, or locally grown? If I have a choice between organically grown carrots from Israel or "standard" carrots from Kent (therefore only down the road by comparison) which should I get? Personally I go for the locally grown. The ideal solution is buy everything from local organic farms, but that isn't always feasible (it involves a lot more planning and really following the seasons, which isn't easy with a household of people who only like specific veg) so I try to compromise... plus growing things locally.
I do however, refuse point blank, to have things like carrots, apples, onions and potatoes that have not been grown in the UK or a country v. close by because they are all grown here in the UK and they store well so can be made available all year round - there is no reason at all to be flying them in from the US or New Zealand (it's amazing how many apples over here have come from New Zealand - the other day I even came across Coxes that had come from NZ.... why?????).
This article also raises another good point - should you really better for eating that organic ready meal, with products from all over the world. It would have less negative impact on the world (and probably taste better) if you made it yourself with local products.
I came across this article today and it reminded that I was intending to start a discussion along these lines.
When you do your shopping, what's your priority? Organic, therefore supposedly healthier and tastier for you, or locally grown? If I have a choice between organically grown carrots from Israel or "standard" carrots from Kent (therefore only down the road by comparison) which should I get? Personally I go for the locally grown. The ideal solution is buy everything from local organic farms, but that isn't always feasible (it involves a lot more planning and really following the seasons, which isn't easy with a household of people who only like specific veg) so I try to compromise... plus growing things locally.
I do however, refuse point blank, to have things like carrots, apples, onions and potatoes that have not been grown in the UK or a country v. close by because they are all grown here in the UK and they store well so can be made available all year round - there is no reason at all to be flying them in from the US or New Zealand (it's amazing how many apples over here have come from New Zealand - the other day I even came across Coxes that had come from NZ.... why?????).
This article also raises another good point - should you really better for eating that organic ready meal, with products from all over the world. It would have less negative impact on the world (and probably taste better) if you made it yourself with local products.
http://www.opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110008494
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That's got to be the most green way of doing things!
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It is, but what about people living in flats?
This is similar to the Greenpeace discussion we've been having on here in that it may well be a case of the lesser of two evils, in which case I'd say local is better than organic purely because of the food miles involved.
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It's certainly the option I go for - apart from anything else, the cost of transporting food thousands of air miles has to be vast, and if the two products are comparably priced, then what does it say for the amount they pay the farmers? At least if you buy locally you know that the transport hasn't cost so much either financially or to the environment.
People in flats can grow some of their own produce - even if it is just a couple of tomato plants on the window sill, it all helps (and tastes better!)
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I prefer local AND organic but here in the US most organic produce is grown on big mega farms in the west not by local farmers.
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the reason fruits and veggies are imported is that so people can have them all year round not just in season like the "old days".
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I buy nearly ALL my fruit and vegetables from the organic market. Where I live it makes it easy to do this. it's somuch harder in cities.
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but it depends on the price - some of them are just too expensive for a limited budget.
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Yes, why is that? Organic shouldn't be more expensive - I mean, it just doesn't really seem right that food grown the way it was 100 years ago - less - should have to be more expensive that things grown with pesticides...
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So it's all a case of striking a balance. I would love to get everything that was both, but it does restrict you and increase the cost.
I'm currently suffering from being a novice gardener - I've got too much lettuce, lots of radishes and am about to be innundated with potatoes!!!! Bad planning (I did try to cycle things, but it hasn't worked due to the extreme weather we've had). At least eating these things i know I'm doing the best possible - 30 metres away and organic! No transport at all.... :o)
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since it hasn't been sitting in a chilled warehouse for months. Organic, on the other hand, is too dear for may consumers. I think a lot of people might want to buy organic food but simply can't afford it.
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Yes, organic can be so expensive in supermarkets. Also, it's had so much debate over whether or not it's any "better" for you that people seem so distrustful of it, which is a shame.
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that organic is healthier than non-organic. Some of it is perceived superiority.
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There have been some studies on this and definitiely some fruits and veggies absorb pesticides more than others. Check this out and scroll to the bottom there's a link:
http://www.marigoldlane.com/kitchen/organicprod...
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Local food is better than organic because of the food miles involved:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4312591.stm
Not that it's such a strict X versus Y situation, though. Both are way better than factory farmed or junk food.
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Yes, I can definitely see the logic in that - emissions produced in hauling produce from hundreds of miles around rather than just eating what's grown a few miles down the road seems a bit counterproductive for those people who buy organic in the hope of bettering the environment.
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It's just a shame we can't have both like in the "old days"! It's a tough choice but I'd have to agree with the BBC article.
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There are a lot of things where if we could be "like in the old days" we'd be much better off - greener farming methods and products in shops, more local businesses being supported by teh community, people walking / taking the bus or train rather than the car. Yes, there are plusses such as a lot of technology, health, heating and home comforts we have now, but if we were to live in a way that constantly remembered and consdiered that everything will come to an end one day - if not in our life time, then that of future generations of our families - then we'd live a much healthier life style.
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The thing is, everyone is so busy filling their lives with things--working, daycare, school activities, play dates, rushing to and fro. There's barely time to relax and smell the roses, let alone prepare foods that are wholesome or do any gardening. Technology has made out lives more complicated--but I couldn't live without the internet!
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Well, I have to go back to the grow your own (or go and pick them from a local farm). I had my first peas from the garden today and they were so much better than bought ones. So are the strawberries - LOTS of flavour. Yum!
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I remember going to one of those farms when I was a really little kid but I don't remember how it tasted - it was fun though.
It probably would be much more satisfying and enjoyable to eat and cook with the fruit and vegetables you've grown yourself, too.
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Pick your own farms ate wonderful. I used to go strawberry picking and later blueberry picking. Next year i want to join a program called community supported Agriculture where they deliver veggies to your door. I think this was mentioned in another post here.
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http://www.ewg.org/sites/foodnews/pdf/walletgui...
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I love organic produce but I'd have to go for local food. I do try to get organice local produce and if I buy local I try to find out where it was grown etc.
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Ir has to be local for me-organic is just too pricey. I get really narked when I see my local Sainsburys selling Jersey new potatoes when the local Pembroke potatoes are in season here (& much tastier in my biased view!)
Also, I have a tiny garden but have started growing my own herbs & salads in containers-the satisfaction of dishing up your own mint sauce or rocket salad is fab, and it all grows like weeds in this weather. Most councils are also obliged to provide allotments if there is a certain demand, my sister & I will be sharing one next year!
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Here's the solution, eat local unless the local food is harmful in comparison to the organic version:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/07/eat_loc...
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Certain fresh fruits, like fresh organic blueberries can only be supplied fresh in the UK winter months from the Soutern Hemisphere. You are probably concerned about foodmiles but...the planes fly anyway, and fly more economically filled! Also in NZ there is a flight school specially for trainee pilots from the UK, who are trained to fly long ramge flights in the future. The flight school planes causes us a lot of disruption both in noise and air pollution. If you are going to eat you own organic produce then train your own pilots aswell.
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I'm not sure I agree with that, although you make an interesting point. I could be too idealistic saying that eating locally is better whilst ignoring the fact that planes fly long distance with half empty loads, but the more people who choose to eat locally, the less planes and loads there will be.
I've never been a big fan of the "it's going to happen anyway" argument, it always seems to fatalistic to me!
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I've just come across an interesting proposal in this whole debate - the Soil Association are proposing a ban that would mean food that has been flown to the UK could not be labelled as organic.
This does make perfect sense (some supermarkets have started putting labels on air freighted fresh veg, which is a start) as many people go organic for green reasons and the impact of the transport is so great, as we've discussed above, it probably negates the good done by the item being organically grown. it would also encourage people to understand the seasons of their fruit and veg.
Of course many retailers and producers aren't happy as this will compound the current shortage of organic goods to meet demand, but I have to say that I agree with the reasoning from the Soil Association.
"An outright ban on air-freighted organics is not the only course of action being considered by the Soil Association. It is also looking at the possibility of labelling organic food products with the number of air miles they have travelled, or a programme whereby the carbon produced by flying is off-set. "
""We believe there is an urgent and pressing need to make every contribution to curbing climate change that we can," he said. "This is a complex issue though: especially for producers in developing countries where it involves equity and ethical trading issues, and that's why we shall actively engage a wide-range of stakeholders to ensure we get it right.""
I'll be keeping an eye out on this one.
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The Soil Association continue to look at this, now saying that air freighted goods will not be able to claim they are "organic" in the UK.
Some agree with this, some don't. It depends upon the reasoning for being organic. Is it for personal health (it makes little difference is they are airfreighted) or for the health of the earth (very appropriate). I think taht in many cases the growers that will be affected by this need to look at moving towards Fair Trade therefore helping the people in their area first. This would also get them a premium rate and be a positive step for the health of the planet.
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