Is Organic Worth the Extra Cost?
Nature Would Chose Organic is the slogan for Organic September, but why? What makes a product organic and is it worth the extra cost?
Sustainable Production
Food, beauty products and textiles can all be certified organic, but what does this mean?
To gain organic certification, the entire production process has to adhere to strict standards. These standards focus on health, ecology, care and fairness. There is a commitment to stewardship of the land, animal welfare, promoting biodiversity and optimising well-being.
What is Organic Farming?
There are many components to organic farming, these include:
From carrots to cotton, oils to onions, any organic farming must be pesticide free. That protects the soil, wildlife biodiversity and consumers’ health. In place of chemicals, natural pest control and weed suppressants, mechanical weeding and crop rotation are methods used to protect crops.
When raising animals, health is maintained by hygienic and spacious living surroundings and a balanced diet in place of antibiotics. When animals can move freely and eat well, they are in better condition and the milk, eggs and meat they provide are of a higher quality.
Achieving these standards has associated financial costs, yet they greatly reduce the environmental costs of production. Organic produce is usually more expensive than non-organic equivalents, yet if we all switched just one product for organic, the eco benefits would be considerable. We think that makes it worth the extra cost, do you agree?
Boxed & Delivered to your Door
Organic producers consider every aspect of the environmental impact of field to fork. Selling through fruit and veg box schemes, local farmers’ markets and independent delis are, therefore, often preferred to supermarkets.
Most of these companies deliver their produce in cardboard boxes, not the plastic baskets used by supermarkets for deliveries. Research* has shown that cardboard boxes are more hygienic, as well as more environmentally friendly, than plastic boxes for consumables.
If you have struggled to find a good organic selection in your local store, why not opt to have organic food, beauty or clothing delivered?
- Subscribe to an organic produce box scheme
- Order organic beauty products from small, independent producers, such as Leonie Botanics
- Discover organic clothing companies including Thought
One switch: #GoOrganic this #OrganicSeptember
