This list was born from a conversation a couple of weeks ago.  My conversation included a lot of gesticulating and table-thumping, and maybe some reasons that I’m not remembering here.

Why I Eat Organic (or, "Why I’m Not Crazy for Buying Organic, But May Be Crazy for Other Reasons"):

1)  It’s better for the planet.  You like clean air and water, don’t you?  I do, too.  The sky above those landscapes filled by conventional fields is hazy and brown.  The water in the canals between the fields is lifeless and murky.  If you see conventional agribusiness for yourself sometime, you’ll probably never look at your food the same way again.

2)  It’s better for the workers growing and harvesting our food.  This is important because I know you like to eat, and those workers are vital to what you eat, so . . . even if you’ve never met one, you need to care about the health of agricultural workers.

3)  It’s better for the people living around those amber waves of grain, or green waves of broccoli, or whatever.  For a quick education about what’s blowing in the breeze, see a recent writeup in Orion. 

4)  It’s better for your children, your unborn children, and the children that are still just a twinkle in your eye.  It’s even better for the children that will be grown generations from now.  Know what other people think about that?  Start with Our Stolen Future and form your own opinion.

5)  Every time you buy organic you vote for our collective health and well-being. Somebody’s gotta do it.

Still need persuading?  Five more reasons:

6)  You eat fruits and veggies because you think they’re good for you, don’t you?  Organic fruits and vegetables have been shown to have more nutrients and antioxidants than those grown conventionally.  Sure, you take a vitamin, but nothing can give you the antioxidants and other phytonutrients than an organic diet rich in fruit and veggies offers.  Need a little persuasion?  Start with this document at this link and do a little research, if you must; the data is too compelling to ignore. 

7)  The pesticides used in conventional produce contribute to pollution and public health problems that we inevitably pay for via health care costs, environmental cleanup costs, and more.  That makes some sense.  Follow your pizza at The Organic Report. 

8)  I like knowing what’s in my food.  I read the ingredient labels, and I bet you do, too.  Unfortunately, produce doesn’t come with ingredient labels.  A conventionally-grown item from the produce department at the grocery can have dozens of different pesticides on it.  Oh, yummy.

9)  Thanks for the mammaries, Mom.  That’s why we were concerned to learn that women with elevated levels of pesticides in their breast tissue have a greater breast cancer risk.  Has the causality been established?  No.  (See for yourself.)  But why bother taking the risk? 

10)  Going organic (and local, while you’re at it) is much more fun than standing around at the local Safeway.  I promise.  Need proof?  Visit my friends at Central City, or go to one of the farmer’s markets around town.  After making friends with the eggs guy, the figs lady, and everyone else, go home giddy with your delicious treasure.  Then come back next week.

*Still* think I’m crazy for buying organic?  Alright, try this: 

Look up Sandra Steingraber at your local library.  Read her books.  Then read her chapbook while you listen to your kids play.  Maybe that’ll do it.

That’s why I eat organic.

The next step:  Not just eating it organic, but growing it.  But that’s a post for another day.