Mad Cows, Pesticides and Genetically Engineered Crops: Reasons to Go Organic
By Joyce DiBenedetto-Colton
So, you need more reasons? Do you get to the grocery store and decide organic is just not worth the extra dollar? You think you’re healthy enough the way you are. You don’t really believe conventionally produced food can make that much of a difference to your health. Besides, there are medicines that can treat any maladies you have. And who says that “organic” is really much different anyway? Certainly the US government protects its citizens through the highest standards in the world…don’t they? Don’t they?
We talk ourselves out of healthier choices every day. Why do we do that? Why don’t we talk ourselves out of unhealthy, unethical, unintentional choices and into the best available ones? “Denial is not a river,” they say… but it sure flows through US. US agencies and industries have been covering up Mad Cow disease in this country for far too long. Even European countries – first England, then France – denied problems with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in their livestock for a time. But when England suffered cases of the human form of the disease (Cruetzfeldt-Jakob disease or CJD) they began a campaign to alert other countries not to put their heads in the sand as they had. It hasn’t been effective with us arrogant cowpokes across the pond.
The US has been similarly ignorant regarding genetic engineering and its non-retractable impact on our seed and food supply through unrestrained cross-pollination. Very few recognize the ominous operations already in place that threaten to contaminate our food supply by cross-pollination of our food crops with pharmaceutical and industrial chemicals genetically engineered into open corn, rice and tobacco crops, to manufacture chemicals for industry. And don’t expect our US Senators to understand this any time soon. The US Senate recently voted on an amendment presented by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) to prevent EPA from utilizing pesticide research deemed unethical. It seems that a few chemical companies have conducted experiments on humans that were clearly in violation of ethics standards. The passing of a revised version of the amendment will deter chemical industries for the time being. But make no mistake…the industry is as persistent as the pesticides they produce. It’s only a matter of time. To view the full report, go to: www.democrats.reform.house.gov/Documents/20050616110407-47162.pdf
So what can you do? The answer is remarkably simple. Buy organic. Support organic. While organic may not be perfect, it’s the closest thing. Unless of course, you grow your own organic! By choosing organic you can avoid all of the aforementioned: Mad Cow, environmental and genetic pollution, and you’ll be protecting your immune system from the long-range detrimental effects of pesticides that accumulate in your fatty tissue year after year.
ESM’s July speaker will be Caryl Zook, an Independent Organic Certification Inspector who will discuss just what “certified organic” really means. And September’s program will show you how you can grow your own organic herbs and vegetables – even in pots.
There are so many more reasons to go organic…but aren’t these enough? Go ahead. Choose organic. You’re worth it!