ecoyear

Today I came across this article on the Organic Valley website. It does not meet any sort of criteria for being "unbiased", but I think it does a nice job of summarizing credible research on the topic. It provides a well-reasoned answer to the doubts of people who would support organic if only they were reassured that it is not just an "elitist" movement.

The Oil Drum also had a recent article on the Food System. The discussion goes on and on about the various movements and how elitist they may or may not be, Local Food, Organic Food, properly raised animals, pros and cons of certain soil practices and how they may or may not impact the nutrient content of food. It is probably true that not enough research exists. I can see that a family may not be in a position to double or triple their food budget "just in case" well-raised food does have an impact on health and/or the environment. Some people take that for granted because it makes sense to them intuitively. Changing your entire existence is another matter. We do well to remember that some people don't even do the health-related things they already know are good for them (and I include myself here).

The conclusion I drew from The Oil Drum's discussion is that "walking your talk" as best you can, and avoiding trying to lecture others about what they should do is ultimately, as usual, the most effective strategy, and of course the one with the most integrity.

Happy holiday dinnertable discussions!