Organic September Round up
If you follow us on social media, then you may have already seen that we’ve participated in Organic September which is run by the Soil Association. Buying organic produce where possible is something that we’re really passionate about in the shop and we try and insure that we stock lots of organic products for you in store. In todays blog post, we wanted to share The Soil association top 5 reasons to go organic this September and they are reasons I whole heartedly agree with:
1.Reduce your exposure to potentially harmful pesticides-this is the primary reason for me to eat organic to reduce my and my family’s exposure to potentially harmful pesticides. Over 320 pesticides can be routinely used in non organic farming and these are often present in non organic food.
2.It’s naturally different- how we farm really does affect the quality of the food we eat. Research published in the British Journal of Nutrition found significant nutritional differences between organic and non organic farming.
3. Better for the planet- if all UK farmland was converted to organic farming, at least 3.2 million tonnes of carbon would be taken up by the soil each year- the equivalent of taking nearly 1 million cars off the road!
4.Help protect the wildlife- 75% of UK wildlife is in decline. Organic farms use fewer pesticides and provide homes for bees, birds and butterflies-there is up to 50% more wildlife!
5. Higher standards of animal welfare- organic animals are truly free range. This means, healthy, happy animals, that are reared without the routine use of antibiotics which is common in intensive livestock farming.
As I read down this list I may well have stated that my primary reason for personally choosing organic is the first reason given by The Soil Association- to reduce my exposure to pesticides but as I write, all 5 points each seem equally important. Although I know buying organic can be more expensive, the 5 points are so vital for each of us and the planet that maybe an answer is to buy less but buy organic or select organic for those foods that have a larger exposure to pesticides – come in store to find out which are the key foods to buy organic.