Research Final Draft: Better Living Through Lack of Convention

Ashliegh M. Ariss

English 213X

Better Living Through Lack of Convention

Choosing organic has its many benefits to local famers, the people that consume the food and the environment that it is grown in. Not only is the consumer supporting healthy eating but they are supporting a healthy earth. Eating organic foods used to be a way of life before science and conventional farming methods were introduced to mass produce larger quantities of goods to consumers. Preservatives were introduced as a method of keeping food fresher for a longer period of time. Preservatives change the structure of the food that is packaged for resale in order to get to consumers in groceries stores before spoiling and having longer shelf life. What some consumers fail to realize is that preservatives kill other living cells. Organic farming is healthier and provides more nutrients to the consumer and soil.  Although consumers are paying more by purchasing organically farmed foods, it is healthier to the consumer and the environment.  Most consumers may not know the actual price that it costs the earth’s surface and the environment when purchasing goods that are not organic and filled with harsh chemicals. Industrialized farming methods cause a great deal of harm to the ecosystem and surrounding habitats. Although eating organic food appears to be more expensive it is actually cheaper in the long run because the food that is consumed has no preservatives, it lacks pesticides and chemicals that kill living organisms and erode the earth’s surface, and it uses less energy than conventional farming.

Often time’s people do not think of the effects of farming foods and the environment when shopping for their weekly grocery list. Cassetty (2010) states that “organics are generally pricier than conventionally produced food” (p.51) and therefore, can become an increasing expense in a household budget for food items. The organic section in the grocery store is often smaller than the rest and costs consumers a considerable amount more to purchase then food with a sticker or label that states, organic (Crawford, 2010 p. 102). What people fail to realize is the effect of farming foods that are not organic and the harm that it costs the environment versus industrialized farming. Organic means that you are purchasing a food or a product that contains no additives aimed at increasing the shelf life of a product, whereas  non-organic foods often have extra ingredients aimed at helping the product last longer or appear more attractive to the consumer, (Barnard, 2010, p. 26). Zevnik (2009) states that “the basic requirements for organic labeling are avoidance of synthetic chemicals, genetically modified organisms, irradiation, and the use of sewage sludge, farmland that has been free of chemicals for a prescribed number of years; detailed written records; and periodic on-site inspections” (p. 45). Chappell (2008) states that “Strawberries are on the Environmental Working Group’s “dirty dozen” list of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables that contain the most pesticide residues” (p.96). Conventional farming uses large amounts of preservatives to keep food from rotting over longer periods of times. However, the side effects that is hard to the earth to produce mass quantities of food at a cheap price to the consumer come at a greater cost to the environment. There are antimicrobial food additives; other preservatives contain ethanol and methylchloroisothiazolinone, propionic acid, and MSG (Masjedi, 2003, p. 149). These preservatives cause not only health concerns for the consumers but also kill the living cells of other plants or insects that surround them. MSG is a common preservative that causes major health concerns and is usually posted where it is commonly used. It can cause the consumer headaches, difficulty breathing, chest pain, drowsiness, and nausea (Moore-Thorpe, 2009, p.147). Long term health concerns for the use of preservatives also include respiratory problems, anaphylactic allergic reactions, cancer, and noted birth defects (Palmer, 2010, p. 2). Most packaging material for products also contains preservatives. Sulfide is a common preservative on packaging material. Many consumers are finding that they are allergic to the sulfide in the packaging. Now, the FDA has made the food industry state on the packaging if the material contains sulfide.

Many foods that are not organic contain pesticides and chemicals that are harmful to the environment and harmful to the consumer (Crinnion, 2010, p. 6).  Dangour (2010) states that “certified organic farmers produce foods according to a strict set of specified standards, which control the use of chemicals in crop production and medicines in animal production, and are required to pay particular attention to the impact of their farming practices on the wider environment” (p. 1). Many pesticides and chemicals kill livestock and other animals. Pesticides are used to destroy or prevent insects, weed, birds, and other things from killing the crop. However, pesticides are very toxic to consumers and very toxic to the land and other animals if consumed.  “Price Perspective” (2010) states that “ the non-profit organization Environmental Working Group published its “Dirty Dozen” list o the conventional produce mostly highly contaminated with pesticides: celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, cherries, kale/collard greens, potatoes, grapes (imported)” (p. 3). Pesticides can cause water pollution and other contamination of soil and vegetation. Rich (2008) states that “chemical pesticides dampens the mobilization of a plant’s own defenses” (p. 27). Crop dusters often spray the pesticides on a field and further pollute the environment with the gases that hurt the ozone layer. Farmers use the pesticides to prevent their crop from being destroyed by insects and other weeds and plants. But, the pesticides are toxic to not just the insects and weeds that they are trying to prevent from ruining their crop. They are also very harmful and toxic to other agriculture and vegetation that does not need to be compromised by the chemical (Williamson, 2007, p. 104).

Pesticide drift is something that is people are starting to research and learn more about as well. While the crop dusters spray the area for the crop with the pesticides they do not take into consideration where the pesticides fall as long as the crop gets dusted with the chemical. Pesticides can often drift with the direction of the wind and can spread across several miles of land. This can also lead to contamination of the water table which can negatively impact the environment and water source for human consumption and animals. Spedding (2006) states that “‘organic’ is better nutritionally and that their production methods are better for ‘the environment’ and especially wildlife” (p. 187). Pesticide drift can also cause toxic effects to other foliage and animals by contaminating their ecosystem. Spray drift is often a type of pesticide drift that is supposed to be sprayed directly onto the crop and can often times float to surrounding homes and forestry and other ecosystems. Volatilization drift is also dangerous and occurs when the pesticides vaporizes off the plant or soil several days later and then creates a cloud of vapor that can drift off into nearby neighborhoods and other plants and water sources. Conner (2003) states that “the NOP requires organic producers to maintain buffer zones of sufficient size or other features (e.g., windbreak or diversion ditch) to prevent contamination of their fields (p. 5). These methods seem not only difficult to maintain but also almost impossible to enforce. Not only can both of these types of pesticides make people, animals, and other ecosystems sick but it is also very toxic to the land and the plants and is often hard to recover (Spedding, 2006, p. 189). Regardless of whether pesticide drift is intentional or not, it happens. Pesticides cause more harm and deter healthy soil and land from growing.

Lastly, fossil fuels are used to create and make the pesticides that are used to spray the crop. Fossil fuels create green house and methane gases which pollute the earth and ruin the ozone layer. Pesticides are also distributed by airplane or a crop-duster and thus use fuel and pollute the earth, the air, and the air quality further. Pesticides then deplete the top soil. Depleting the top soil causes erosion to the land. This then creates poor soil and growing conditions and causes less nutrient in the food. Most consumers do not realize the effect that it causes on their food. Soil erosion can be life threatening to the habitats that live within that ecosystem and can also be irreversible. Once some ecosystems are gone, they can never be recovered. Nor, do they realize that the growing conditions often have a negative effect on their food and create fewer nutrients for consumption. Soil is the safety net for many different ecosystems. When the soil has been polluted by pesticides it causes friction for those life forms and their inhabitants (Castelo-Grande, 2010, p. 439). The chemicals from the pesticides causes an ecosystem or habitat that other life forms are unable to survive in and therefore ends up killing everything except for that crop or vegetation.

Pesticides and fossil fuels also increase energy consumption. Organic foods are raised completely pesticide and chemical free. Organic food uses renewable energy sources whereas conventional or factory farming uses non-renewable energy sources. For instance, some vegetables and other crops are able to be grown in a green house which absorbs energy from the sun. Whereas, other conventional farming methods grow their crops by using non-renewable electrical energy to boost their grow rates and rapid marketing. Organic food also uses natural fertilizers. All of the fertilizers are naturally occurring such as manure, slurry, and worms. Organic fertilizers also have increased nutrient content. Therefore, it is better for richer soil and the environment as well as healthier for the consumer. Organic fertilizers also create healthier soil. Natural compost contains more vitamins and minerals which then are able to provide it to the vegetation and the land without compromising other habitats. Due to the fact you are using existing nutrients from the soil rather than an artificial influx brought on by pesticides and preservatives. Is also helps to prevent topsoil erosion whereas pesticides and other chemicals actually cause top soil erosion and create soil that is not good for farming. The great dust bowl of the 1930’s is a perfect example of what can happen to top soil that is harvested carelessly. The costs for organic fertilizer are also a factor that should be considered. Pesticides and fuel cost a great deal of money whereas organic fertilizer is naturally occurring and cheap if not free. Cows are able to graze on land which then creates manure. For instance, the manure is then able to fertilize the land and creates great and rich soil that is ideal for growing crops and other vegetation for the land. Although naturally occurring fertilizers often take a longer time for the crop to grow it costs the land less because it does not damage the soil, the agriculture, the consumers, the plants, and the other animals that graze or live in that ecosystem (Scollan, 2006, p. 43).

Eating organic is more than a preferred choice of healthy eating. It costs consumers more financially, but in the end, it is less expensive to the environment and it pays for a healthier lifestyle for people and surrounding ecosystems. Factory farming contains a large amount of preservatives and chemical pesticides. These chemicals kill living organisms, are toxic to the land, the ecosystems, plants, wildlife, the soil, and the water table. Pesticides are not a chemical that only affects the plant or organism that has been sprayed. It affects the entire ecosystem and cannot be washed away after harvesting that plant for the season.  Although eating organic may appear to be more expensive in the short run, it costs the environment and the ecosystem a great deal less in the long run. Pleasant (2010) states “systemic pesticides are in the plant not on it When we make the plant itself poisonous to predators, one has to wonder what (or who) else it’s poisoning” (p. 16). Before consumers go to their local market and purchase goods that do not state organic, they should stop to think what their wallet is really paying for and who pays for it.

References

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