Sustainable Living Through Organic Gardening

*--------------------- Main Menu ---------------------*: About A.E.C. Alberni Valley Trail Guide Calendar of Events Childrens Area Environmental Horror Stories AEC Forum Green Island Grid Access Local Alberni Valley Issues On-line Environmental Library Opening Page Video's that we Host *----------------- Sites we host -----------------*: Port Alberni Council of Canadians Space Photos of Earth Gallery

Why Go Organic?

The most important thing you can do for your health and the health of the planet is to eat locally grown organic food.

It is estimated that our food travels over 2000 kilometers to reach our dinner plates.  The Organic Consumers’ Association estimates that 20% of the fossil fuels used in North America is for transporting food. In this era of global warming and post-peak oil we question the wisdom of this fragile long distance food supply network. Thus, it is now apparent to most of us that agribusiness is not sustainable. Eating more locally grown food leaves us less depend on outside sources and could help us meet the Kyoto requirements.

Large scale industrial agribusiness uses high off-farm inputs and long distance shipping.  This food production requires a further 5% of North American fossil fuel use.  Natural gas is used for making synthetic fertilizers; fossil fuels are used to manufacture various pesticides; oil and gas are used for farming tractors, other implements, and aircraft for spraying pesticides. Energy inputs are also used for pumping irrigation water.

In essence, industrial agribusiness’s dependence on synthetic fertilizers and toxic pesticides result in mineral deficient, pesticide drenched, near sterile soils. As this toxic load leaches from agricultural lands it leads to polluted water sources and eroded land.  These near sterile, poisoned soils and long transit times leave only nutritionally inferior foods on most of our dinner plates.

In contrast, local organic food is grown on mineral rich, pesticide free soils. It spends much less time in transit, thus retaining more of its nutritional value. Also, eating closer to home helps to reduce your personal carbon footprint. Organic food growth is based on following natural processes to build fertile, biologically diverse soils. Following these natural processes and building a fertile soil is an investment in your personal food security and your personal health

The next columns in the Go Organic series will outline sustainable natural processes
and show how local gardeners can build a mineral rich, biologically diverse, fertile soil.  It is the most important thing you can do for your health and the health of the planet.