On Saturday mornings, if you remember to wake up early enough, you can find a few vendors in Franklin Square selling fresh produce and delicious food. As you walk up and down several times trying to figure out what you want to eat as well as what you will buy for later you find yourself excited about the fresh food you are about to have in your kitchen. Having a farmer's market is a perk that many people overlook in their day to day lives. With over 8,000 farmer's markets across the nation certified by the USDA and many more that are not, farmer's markets are popping up constantly with more and more people gaining access to affordable and healthy food. But do people really understand what they are buying?
As the new fad consists of eating healthy, organic and sustainably gets bigger and bigger people are beginning to go for the cleaner, organic food in the grocery store or even going to "healthier" grocery stores all together. They have come to believe that by buying an organic labeled pack of carrots or bell peppers they are automatically eating better for them selves and for the environment. The hype for WholeFoods, Trader Joe's, and Sprouts is on the rise but the knowledge is not rising in a similar fashion. What people are not always aware of is the fact that organic produce does not equate to healthier or more sustainable. A majority of organic products are farmed in the same style as conventional farms with the only major change being the certified "organic" fertilizers and pesticides. The popular organic community is needing to take a deeper look into what they are purchasing and find if it is truly sustainable and organic if that is what they are looking for. Many people are blinded by the "organic" seal leading them to overlook the reasons why they want to eat healthy in the first place to a longer list of reasons why they should be healthier and sustainable.
Organic and sustainable has a whole list of practices that most people do not even consider when they are looking for produce or products to buy. One of the most important aspects to look at when searching for sustainable organic food is if the farm is using sustainable practices to create and maintain a healthy soil. Soil is complex, living and constantly changing, filled with organisms working together to build a habitable environment. The damaging effects of conventional farming today are depleting the healthy soil around the world on a daily basis. When people are looking into eating healthy, sustainable and organic food they need to look into the practices that the farm uses to make sure that they maintain practices to sustain healthy soil and that they are truly organic to the standards that each person sets.
The biggest issue with the new "in" eating habit besides the lack of overall knowledge and if the practices are truly sustainable would be the lack of accessibility to a vast majority of the public. Over 2 million people live in food deserts in the United States and cannot easily access fresh food. This new healthy food hype is controversial because it is accessible only to those who can afford as well as get to the food. When looking into eating more sustainably and healthier take a look into if they support local food banks, help families in urban food deserts, or even donate to soup kitchens. Choosing to eat heathy, organic and sustainably means to consider all aspects of the food production to follow all of these not just provide the end product of "organic." Making the greater public more knowledgable about the choices they have and what they can do to make it better for the environment as a whole in every aspect of the food's production will create a more informed public. And then maybe the hype could turn into a lifestyle that sticks.
Organic and sustainable has a whole list of practices that most people do not even consider when they are looking for produce or products to buy. One of the most important aspects to look at when searching for sustainable organic food is if the farm is using sustainable practices to create and maintain a healthy soil. Soil is complex, living and constantly changing, filled with organisms working together to build a habitable environment. The damaging effects of conventional farming today are depleting the healthy soil around the world on a daily basis. When people are looking into eating healthy, sustainable and organic food they need to look into the practices that the farm uses to make sure that they maintain practices to sustain healthy soil and that they are truly organic to the standards that each person sets.
The biggest issue with the new "in" eating habit besides the lack of overall knowledge and if the practices are truly sustainable would be the lack of accessibility to a vast majority of the public. Over 2 million people live in food deserts in the United States and cannot easily access fresh food. This new healthy food hype is controversial because it is accessible only to those who can afford as well as get to the food. When looking into eating more sustainably and healthier take a look into if they support local food banks, help families in urban food deserts, or even donate to soup kitchens. Choosing to eat heathy, organic and sustainably means to consider all aspects of the food production to follow all of these not just provide the end product of "organic." Making the greater public more knowledgable about the choices they have and what they can do to make it better for the environment as a whole in every aspect of the food's production will create a more informed public. And then maybe the hype could turn into a lifestyle that sticks.
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