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Organic products have gained increased popularity as more and more people are educating themselves about the consequences of the harmful pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics that our foods are being treated with.  Many people have started asking the question: what does Organic really mean and how does it make a difference?

Let’s take a look at what the word organic means, how it can affect your health and well-being, and why it seems to be a growing trend.

The word “organic” in a broad sense refers to something that comes from living things. In 1942, the word became a label that meant “free from pesticides and fertilizers”. Today, the definition of organic, (as passed by the National Organic Standards Board in 1995) focuses on agriculture:
“Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity.”

It is based on practices that minimize the use of chemicals, and restore, sustain and enhance ecological harmony. The primary goal of organic practices is to optimize the health and productivity of the soil life, plants, animals and people, which are all interdependent.

Fortunately, Organic agriculture is not limited to food. Organically grown cotton involves composting, naturally derived minerals and sensible crop rotation without chemical pesticides or fertilizers, and is not produced with chemical dyes and finishes. This organic process contrasts with the conventional cotton textile manufacturing, which demands 25% of the world's chemical pesticides and fertilizers, and uses formaldehyde (a carcinogen) finishes. These chemicals can result in skin irritation and respiratory problems, especially in children.

With recent studies demonstrating the higher nutritional value of organic foods versus conventional foods, and the knowledge that organic farming is much easier on our planet, it has become increasingly obvious that organic is the way to go.

With these facts before us, we must ask ourselves whether those few extra cents saved by purchasing non organic items are worth the price of our health and our environment.