Earlier this year, I finally got it through my thick skull that I need to take better care of myself and have made a number of changes to that end. One way I am doing this is by changing my diet[1]. As part of changing my diet, I buy/eat organic food when possible. It is simply a much healthier way to eat.
In the US, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established a "USDA Organic" label as part of their National Organic Program (NOP). Last Friday (2007/06/22), saw (via Treehugger), that the USDA has green-lighted a proposal which would allow thirty-eight (38) non-organic ingredients in products bearing the "USDA Organic" seal. So, your "USDA Organic"-labeled food may not be as organic as you thought. This is not an acceptable decision, in my opinion.
What can be done? Take advantage of the 60-day public comment period to send a letter to the USDA. The Organic Consumers Association has made this easy to do with their petition.
For those of you who have the "hippie-treehugger eating twigs and berries" perception of organic food, take a look around the next time you are at the grocery store. For example, organic Oreos (I first saw them at Kroger, in the cookie aisle). Yes, yummy Oreo cookies made with organic flour and sugar. These are the best-tasting Oreo cookies I have ever eaten. Period. Yes, they are more expensive[3] (not by much, Oreos aren't cheap anyway) than conventional Oreos, but it is about quality, not quantity (portion control is an important component of one's diet, too). Of course, I enjoy my organic Oreos with a glass of cold organic [low fat] milk.
This post is a bit different from my usual fare, so if you've read this far, thank you.
[1] Not as in the typical (IMO) bastardized way Americans think about diet (i.e. 'dieting'), but as a more permanent change to what I eat.
[2]http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?navid=ORGANIC_CERTIFICATIO&parentnav=AGRICULTURE&navtype=RT
[3] Organics don't have to empty your wallet. See http://www.startribune.com/1244/story/1269320.html (via the OCA)