Lower Pesticide Intake

Buy organic food

There are numerous negative environmental effects from farming with pesticides, fertilizers, and hormones. Traditional chemically-dependant agriculture techniques have been shown to lead to topsoil erosion and toxic and carcinogenic runoff. Pesticide-laden runoff pollutes our rivers, oceans and lakes – destroying wildlife with chemical contamination. And, not to be overlooked, who wants to put potentially hazardous chemicals into their bodies on a daily basis?

Some people say buying local is better than buying organic because it will reduce carbon emissions which is the biggest problem we face. I say do whatever you can, every little bit helps. Organic food is certainly better for you body than food with pesticide residue.

Buying organic products will cost anywhere from 25% to 40% more than conventional items. So start the switch by focusing on the list of items that will make the biggest impact for the environment and for your health. Here is a list of items that are typically grown with a high dosage of pesticides and high levels of pesticide residue that you might want to start substituting with organic alternatives:

Fruit:
• Strawberries & Raspberries
• Grapes (Imported from Chile)
• Cherries
• Peaches
• Nectarines
• Apples
• Apricots
• Pears
• Melon (Honeydew & Cantaloupe)

Vegetables:
• Bell Peppers
• Spinach
• Green Beans
• Potatoes
• Cucumbers
• Celery