usda archives - planet forward - 克罗地亚vs加拿大让球 //www.getitdoneaz.com/tag/usda/ inspiring stories to 2022年卡塔尔世界杯官网 fri, 16 jan 2015 10:56:46 +0000 en-us hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 how and why to shop organic //www.getitdoneaz.com/story/how-and-why-to-shop-organic/ fri, 16 jan 2015 10:56:46 +0000 http://dpetrov.2create.studio/planet/wordpress/how-and-why-to-shop-organic/  
for most people, grocery shopping is a chore. not for me. i love going grocery shopping. i love it so much that i consider it a rewarding activity.

organics: old news, new trend

you are what you eat, right?

maybe that’s why everyone these days seems to be shifting to purchase organic, eating locally, and shopping at the all-so-trendy pop-up farmers market.

one might think that this craze for organic is a new trend, but in fact the “panic for organic” has been around for quite some time. the late 1980’s was when the marketplace saw the first “panic for organic,” as deemed by actress meryl streep. in fact, whole foods, the nation’s leading supermarket for natural and organic food, founded its flagship store in austin, texas over thirty years ago in 1980.

fast-forward to today’s supermarket and one enters one of the most overwhelming consumer experiences around. there are hundreds of different brands, labels, and certifications that differ from store to store, all screaming at you as you walk down the aisle, all claiming to be the most organic and healthy for you.

how can you tell what you should choose? there are a few key ways to start:

– eric estroff

recently, i treated myself to a much overdue trip to safeway. standing in the produce section, i was faced with the dilemma of whether to purchase more expensive organic apples that were $2.99/lb. or cheaper non-organic apples that were $.99/lb. i chose the pricier apples because they were organic.

as people are more interested in where their foods come, the demand for organic has increased. in 2013, 81% of u.s. families were buying organic. but what really makes food organic?

recently, i interviewed dr. kathleen merrigan, former deputy secretary of the usda, to learn more about organic food. she was instrumental in helping write the official definition of organic for the united states.

honestly, before talking to dr. merrigan, i would’ve picked the cheaper non-organic apples. but since talking to her, i have changed my purchasing patterns. as a college student, i’m always looking for ways to save money but i decided for a few extra dollars that buying organic apples was worth it because i knew that those apples hadn’t been treated with any dangerous pesticides, thus they were better for me and the environment.

while $2.00/lb more is not a huge difference, i think one of the stigmas surrounding organic food is high cost. thankfully, buying organically will no longer “break the bank.” in an effort to encourage people to eat more organically, companies such as walmart have started introducing affordable organic food in their stores. another method to make eating organically affordable is to understand when it’s worth it to splurge on some organic food and save on others. buying organically matters most when it comes to produce, dairy, meat, and poultry.

when i shop at stores such as whole foods or trader joe’s, i gulp at how expensive some organic food can be. but when i shop at safeway i embrace the purchasing power to buy organic food at more affordable prices.

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how i learned to stop worrying and love organic food //www.getitdoneaz.com/story/the-true-meaning-of-fifty-cents-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-organic-food/ wed, 12 nov 2014 08:36:30 +0000 http://dpetrov.2create.studio/planet/wordpress/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-organic-food/ gwu student tim palmieri added organics to his life, and discovered benefits he says are worth the extra price tag.

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taking a look at two broccoli crowns, one organic and one conventional, i see more than just a fifty cent difference. i see the difference of years, not just for my own life, but also for the entire world.

supermarket secrets: organic alternatives

the bright colors of organic foods are more alluring than their conventional counterparts. but their price tag is not.

while some people are fortunate enough to have a local trader joe’s around the corner or a fresh market mere minutes away in town, others are faced with the problems of accessibility and cost. thankfully, there are simple solutions to get your organic fix.

the first solution is to go to local farmer’s markets. farmer’s markets are known for bringing a wide variety of organically grown produce from eggplant to tomatoes and even your favorite fruits. depending on your area, farmer’s markets may be weekly events. best of all, they are on average cheaper than organic supermarkets and you know directly whom your money is supporting. the benefits of buying local also extend far beyond the price tag.

if there are no farmer’s markets in your area, then a second solution is to purchase cheap and healthy organic alternatives. buying seasonal fruits to lower your grocery bill, washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly to eliminate pesticides, and peeling nonorganic fruit to also remove pesticides and mitigate adverse effects are just a few of the shortcuts to getting the benefits of organic without the cost.

as more people grab organic foods off of store shelves and leave conventional vegetables untouched, prices will drop and in the future there may no longer be a need for alternatives. until then, buying organic food alternatives whenever possible is worth the price you pay to help your family and the environment.

devouring my grandmother’s meatballs and my grandfather’s gnocchi at the dinner table on sunday night lies at the heart of some of my favorite memories growing up. food brings my family together. i can always buy premade meatballs or pasta, but my family’s passion and connection would be replaced with generic processed products and an arguably less enjoyable meal. food is more than essential, so why not make the best possible choice with yours?

organic foods, foods grown without using synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, are one good choice you can make. they can be easily identified by those tiny green usda certified organic labels. since 2010, sales of organic foods have increased by about 10% annually, which is an incredible amount of growth by industry standards. this can only mean good things for people who buy food – every family in the u.s.

i can tell from the endless checkout lines in my local whole foods that despite the slightly more expensive cost of organic foods, organic food and drink sales are on the rise. sales of organic products in the united states jumped to $35.1 billion in 2013, up 11.5% from the previous year’s $31.5 billion and was the fastest growth rate in five years.

eating healthy or organic doesn’t mean i never grab my favorite ben & jerry’s ice cream carton, or spend a night at the mcdonald’s down the street with friends eating big macs. the key is to do everything in moderation. while these foods provide “empty calories,” lots of calories with little nutritional benefits, organic foods provide more effective antioxidants that aid in preventing cancer, vision problems and cognitive malfunctions as well as improving heart health. pesticide-free produce may not look as appetizing, but if you want fewer harmful chemicals such as cadmium that have been linked to kidney damage and cancer in your body and in the bodies of your family, make the organic choice.

the impact isn’t just on your health – your favorite organic cauliflower or ginger root has far more positive environmental effects than conventional food. organic agriculture mitigates the greenhouse effect and global warming by sequestering carbon in the soil.  furthermore, replacing pesticides with natural fertilizers such as compost prevents groundwater pollution and enhances soil structure and water infiltration. organic farming even produces more biodiversity than other farming systems.

organic vs. natural – what’s the difference?

organic-vs-natural_0.jpg

according to the usda, the organic label has a lot more restrictions than food that claims to be “natural.

regardless of what aisle i venture through, organic foods are becoming more prominent. about three fourths of american grocery stores carry organic foods and the number continues to rise. you can vote with your dollars every time you buy food if you want to see more on the shelves. compared to conventional farms, organic farms are just as productive, the soil is healthier and energy is used more efficiently. the next time you see two seemingly different broccoli crowns in your local grocery store’s produce section remember you’re not just paying fifty more cents for organic foods, you’re paying for fifty more years for the planet.

references:

  • nestle, marion. what to eat. north point press. 2006
  • willett, walter. eat, drink, and be healthy. free press. 2001

top photo courtesy of ncalternativecropsandorganics.com

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how biomass crops will benefit conservation practices, job creation and energy security //www.getitdoneaz.com/story/how-biomass-crops-will-benefit-conservation-practices-job-creation-and-energy-security/ sun, 15 apr 2012 11:32:19 +0000 http://dpetrov.2create.studio/planet/wordpress/how-biomass-crops-will-benefit-conservation-practices-job-creation-and-energy-security/ using biomass fuels in place of oil and gasoline will help us reduce our dependence on oil and improve our own energy and national security. replacing these imported fuels with homegrown alternatives, we can begin to generate jobs at home and repair agricultural land suffering from soil erosion and monocultures by planting perennial biomass crops.

federal policies will help implement programs and provide incentives for farmers to plant biomass crops on land that isn’t in use.

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