6. Organic Fruits/Vegetables and the Environment

How does eating raw impact the environment?
It's easy to lose sight of the consequences of our actions on the large scale. When we no longer need something, we often throw it away. I have always asked myself, where is away? However, the current economy has caused more people to mend, repair, and reuse items rather than just replace them with something new.

We should be conscious that the products we purchase have an impact on the earth—those that are packaged with Styrofoam, plastic bags, packing peanuts, etc. end up filling our landfills. We should recycle our cans, bottles, and cardboard boxes.

In addition, the foods we eat can also have ecological consequences. Livestock farming is a serious threat to the environment, generating dangerous amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, according to a report, Livestock's Long Shadow - Environmental Issues and Options, issued in 2006 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

The report states, "Livestock are responsible for 18 percent of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, more than cars, planes and all other forms of transports put together."

The FAO study also found that livestock production uses 30 percent of the earth's entire land surface, causes wide-scale land degradation from overgrazing and erosion, and produces 37 percent of all human-induced methane from liquid manure stored in tanks.

By choosing to eat raw vegan and avoiding meat and other animal products, we are doing our part to help the environment.  http://michaelbluejay.com/veg/environment.html
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448/index.html

Why should we eat organic fruits and vegetables?
 Organic foods are produced without the use of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides.

A friend once said to me, "Eating organic is a no-brainer. Would I rather ingest foods laced with chemicals or those that aren't?"

Seems simple, doesn't it?  Yet approximately 90 percent of our vegetables, fruits, and grains are produced with chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Corporate executives assume that using synthetic chemicals produces greater yields and therefore greater profits through increased crop size and volume. 

However, researchers at the University of Michigan found in 2007 that in developed countries, organic farming produced almost equal amounts from organic and conventional farms. In developing countries, organic methods could yield up to three times as much food because poor farmers do not have access to expensive pesticides and fertilizers that would help produce high yields using conventional methods.

We pay a high ecological price when we support conventional, chemical-based farming methods. They pollute our air and waterways, deplete the topsoil and natural habitat, and decimate countless plant and animal species.

In contrast, organic farming methods use 30 percent less energy, water, and no pesticides. These methods enrich the soil, protect wildlife, safeguard water resources, support health, and encourage a self-sustaining ecosystem.

Fortunately, the organic movement is gaining strength. At the turn of the millennium, organic farming worldwide increased tenfold from the previous decade. Retail sales of organic foods in North America have increased by 10 percent each year.

It's best to grow our own produce in naturally enriched soil, because organic, homegrown, fresh-picked vegetables and fruits retain their full array of nutrients and life force. Otherwise, the next best option is to buy organic foods from your local farmers markets where most fruits and vegetables are picked that morning or the day before. Produce is often less expensive at these markets and supports local farmers.