Organic Food - Why Is It Better For The Planet?

When it comes to shopping for food, we have to make many choices.

Unfortunately the majority of products at supermarkets are heavily processed, and they will have different hidden costs for your health and for our planet.

Organic food is sustainably grown, unprocessed healthy food. It is made in the most natural way possible, without any harmful chemical additives and preservatives.

Supporting biodiversity 

Biodiversity is essential for life on Earth. Biodiversity means a balanced ecosystem and having lots of different plants around that attract different living organisms.

This includes all animals, from the biggest mammals to the tiniest insects. They all work in harmony to help grow the plants in a healthy way.

Problem of monocropping

Monocropping is when farmers plant a single crop in a large area without keeping its natural biodiversity. This farming process leaves that crop extremely vulnerable to fungal diseases or bugs and forces farmers to spray chemicals that kill everything other than the crop itself. Unfortunately, through monoculture farming and the use of chemicals in crops, we are killing biodiversity.  

The chemicals used in agriculture are also very bad for humans. Farmers are exposed to the dangerous effects of the chemicals, and we consume the toxins in our food. 

Healthy farming practices

Organic farming practices are based on healthy plant growing techniques, and they aim to maintain that necessary level of biodiversity. Organic farming doesn't pollute the air, or land and keeps chemicals away from our rivers and oceans.

Organic farming helps protects pollinators such as bees. Without them, there wouldn't be life on this planet! 

Natural balance 

If the process of overusing chemicals continues for a long time, nature loses its balance. As nature always tries to adapt, these chemicals will be ineffective in the long run. The bugs will grow larger and lose predators, and with time, it will be hard for farmers to control them. Once nature's balance is lost is very hard to maintain it. The chemicals used will only be more harmful. The plants take all the nutrients they need from the soil. When plants grow in healthy soil, no fertilisers are needed. 

Maintaining healthy soil

Organic farming helps to maintain healthy soil. Non-organic food farming allows using very toxic chemicals. These herbicides and pesticides are toxic substances and kill everything other than the specific crop itself. This also means all living organisms like bugs that live on the plant and worms in the soil, which make it nutrient rich. Without them, the soil needs fertilisers which are also synthetically made from fossil fuels.

Imagine that the plants are growing on the same thing that you use to fill up the tank of your car. Isn't it terrifying? I leave you to your thoughts now.