Why Go Organic?

   My thoughts on food changed dramatically and rather quickly after I decided to do a little research into the ingredients found in many of the foods I was feeding my family. I couldn’t pronounce half of them, but I’d always assumed they must be safe, at the very least. Needless to say, I was wrong, and the results were EYE OPENING and quite disturbing! But…they’ve led me here, and for that I’m very thankful!

At first I was ANGRY!!! I then became HOPEFUL that once more people become aware of what’s lurking in the processed foods, produce that has traveled miles and miles to reach us, & meats and dairy that fill the grocery store shelves, a positive change will occur! I immediately started making changes regarding the foods we eat. I decided to only buy organic foods to avoid pesticides on veggies and fruits, artificial sweeteners, and dyes, and genetically engineered foods, such as corn and soybeans…it snowballed from there. I soon found it absolutely necessary to share all of the information I was learning…I just couldn’t bear not to. I started a Facebook page called “Why Go Organic?” to share articles, blog posts, and recipes. It turns out that there are quite a few folks, who like me, weren’t aware of the many negative changes going on in our food system. Luckily, there are MANY people and organizations that have been aware and fighting hard to fix our food! I’m here to support them and spread the word on the importance of eating, buying, and supporting Organic, Sustainable, and Local Foods.

I truly believe that the more people become aware of what’s being done to our food in the name of convenience and, of course, MONEY, they’ll start to choose options that will get us back on the right track. I’m putting my money where my mouth is! I’ll grow my own food through organic gardening, buy from organic companies that support sustainable agriculture, and support my local organic farmers! It’s quite the bonus that in doing so, I’ll be feeding my family in a way that I know is safe, healthy, and delicious!

NOW, if you haven’t seen this movie, please watch it ASAP! It will definitely help in your understanding of what’s going on in our food system these days and why changes MUST occur! You can check it out from the library, probably borrow it from a friend, and it occasionally comes on PBS. If you’d like to buy your own copy, you can click on that picture, and you’ll get the page to purchase it through the blog Amazon Store, which is also on My Favorite Things page under Documentaries- DVDs

In addition to the links provided on the Web Resources Page, here are some videos that help explain why the Organic, Sustainable, and Local Food Movement is so very important to our health and our planet:

Do you know what you are eating? In this extraordinary personal account, Robyn O’Brien tells the story of how she started paying attention to what’s in food. The answer may surprise you and it will certainly inspire you to be more deliberate about your food choices.

This one is VERY informative and funny at the same time! Just Eat Organic!

This one is actually from Chipotle, who has recently come foward to say they are using sustainable practices, organic, and local food when possible. I have no idea how far they’ve come with that promise, but this video is very straight forward and powerful in it’s message as to why that is the right thing to do.

This is a video of a child’s science experiment that turned out to be very important in showing, in a fairly simple way, the difference between conventional farming (pesticide use) and organic farming. It also shows the difference between food that was grown locally for you and food that has traveled thousands of miles to get to you!

Three videos regarding GMOs in our food, which you can learn more about just below. The 1st is a Star Wars spoof called Store Wars that is quite entertaining while informative and the 2nd was made by the filmmaker behind the movie Food, Inc. It’s a quick 3 minute interview with 3 people giving their feelings on their right to know when they are eating Genetically Modified Organisms…a definite MUST WATCH! Last but DEFINITELY NOT LEAST a trailor for GMO Film Project(Untitled) from Jeremy Seifert~”We still have time to heal the planet, feed the world, and live sustainably. But we have to start now.”

GMO Film Project Sizzler from Compeller Pictures on Vimeo.

GMOs and Why You Should Avoid Them:

GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism, and these are also commonly referred to as GE or Genetically Engineered as well. The best way to find food that has not been genetically engineered or doesn’t contain GE ingredients is to buy Certified Organic. Im going to provide some links to a few pages that have done an excellent job of explaining GMOs and reasons they should be avoided….they’ve done a much better job than I could. I’d probably just get all emotional and angry and start yelling at the laptop…so read these:

Institute For Responsible Technology ~ GMO Basics

Allergy Kids Foundation ~ Learn the ABCs About GMOs

Organic Valley ~ Genetically Engineered Crops (GMOs)

GMO Facts from The Non-GMO Project

Tom Philpott for Grist ~What we know — and don’t know — about the safety of eating GMOs

Rodale ~ Genes from GMO Food Do Wind Up in People, Study Shows 

Food and Water Watch has published a free downloadable guide: Genetically Engineered Food: An Overview

e-book Label It Now – What You Need to Know About Genetically Engineered Foods Only $2.99 and all proceeds go to the Just Label It campaign…excellent way to support the cause!

And FINALLY, I’ll leave you with some Words of Wisdom from one of my favorite authors…”Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not.” ~ Dr. Suess