Yesterday, I was shopping for apples at my local supermarket when I realized that I had a huge decision to make, to purchase conventionally grown apples or organically grown apples. While standing there, each option in hand, I began to wonder about the differences between the two. Both apples seemed to have the same appearance, red, shiny, and firm.
Both had the same wonderful fragrance. The main difference between these two fruits was the label. The apple in my left hand boasted “Red Delicious”, while the apple in my right hand claimed to be “USDA Organic.” After much debate, I decided to go with the organically grown apples, knowing only a small amount of information about such products. I assumed organically grown products had to be better for me and the environment, and made it my mission to find out exactly what the difference was.
What Are the Differences Between Organic & Conventional Foods?
There are actually quite a few differences between organically and conventionally grown products that I was not aware of. To begin, I researched organic farming to find out the benefits for myself and the environment. Organic foods are grown in a way that is designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. This is great considering the current “green” trend!
Farms that grown organic products do not use conventional farming methods, such as using pesticides to keep unwanted insects off of their products. Organic farms use more sophisticated and environmentally friendly methods of making sure these unwanted quests stay away from their crops, as well as managing weeds and other such problems. Crop rotation, as well as spreading mulch and manure, is used frequently by organic farmers instead of spraying chemicals and other harmful substances on or around their foods.
How Organic and Conventional Foods Differ:
- Conventional farming applies chemical fertilizers to promote plant growth whereas organic farmers apply natural fertilizers such as manure or compost to feed soil and plants.
- Conventional farming uses chemical fertilizers to promote plant growth. Organic farming uses beneficial insects and birds, mating disruption or traps to reduce pests and disease.
- Using chemical herbicides is a method that is used in conventional farming to manage weeds. Organic farming uses crop rotation, till, hand weed, or mulch to manage weeds.
- Conventional farming is known to give animals antibiotics, growth hormones, and medications to prevent disease and spur growth. On the other hand, organic farming gives animals organic feed and allows them access to the outdoors. Using preventative measures - such as rotational grazing, a balanced diet and clean housing - to help minimize disease.
As noted in the chart, conventional farming utilizes pesticides on their crops, which is not only harmful for people if the products are not washed properly, but is also extremely harmful for the environment. The use of pesticides and other chemicals pollutes the air, water, and soil. Air pollution is caused by the movement of chemical particles through the air as they are sprayed on crops. The flow of chemicals through the air affects the quality of the air we breathe
Run-off of pesticides from the crops will flow into nearby creeks, streams, or lakes, which eventually flows back into the ocean. Polluted water must go through a rigorous cleaning process to get back to the point that it can be drank or used for other household purposes. Soil is also affected by the run-off of pesticides. The quality of soil greatly impacts the growth of crops, the quality of the foods we eat, and the wildlife that live around the area.
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