Organic v Local

One of the issues being debated among people interested in good food and concerned about our environment is whether to buy food that is grown locally or food that is grown organically.

Local food is sometimes defined as food that is grown within 200 miles of your home. Organic food means food that is produced without fertilizer, antibiotics, pesticides or insecticides.

Does local food taste better than organic food? Which is better for our health? Which is better for our environment?

According to the March 12th issue of TIME Magazine 25% of Americans now buy organic foods once a week. In 2000 only 17% of Americans bought organic foods at least once a week. However, more and more Americans are trying to decide if local foods are the better choice – for taste and for the environment. In 2001 a food nutritionist, Joan Gussow, of Columbia University wrote in her book, This Organic Life, that she preferred local to organic for three reasons: (1) the food tasted better (2) it was cheaper (3) it was better for the planet. The problem is that most of the food grown locally is not organic. California is one of the few places that has a large quantity and variety of both organic and local food. Most other local farmers in America use pesticides to get a better chance of their crops surviving. Scientists are now doing research to find out if pesticides cause cancer. Food that is not organic is called conventional. Those who are really into organic say that it should be labeled "sprayed with pesticides that might kill you." This is not true. Scientists are still doing research to find out how much pesticides really are harmful.

The problem with organic food is that it probably is not grown locally. Therefore, it has to be shipped to us – that is not good for the planet because fuel has to be used and pollution increases.

Which food do you think is better for healthy bodies and a healthy planet - local or organic? Visit our blog to let us know.

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