Reports on Stanford Organic Food Study are Misleading

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Yesterday several television newscasts reported the findings of a Stanford University study on organic foods. The study, “[a]re Organic Foods Safer or Healthier than Conventional Alternatives?  A Systematic Review,” was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine on September 4, 2012.  The researchers concluded, “[t]he published literature lacks strong evidence that organic foods are significantly more nutritious than conventional foods.  Consumption of organic foods may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria”.

Personally, I find the media reaction amusing and a clear example of the lack of understanding of the principal goals of the green movement.  Conversely, maybe I have it all wrong.  All this time, I believed that a berry was a berry with certain vitamins in it, and the point of being produced organically was to avoid the introduction of pesticides to it in the growing process.  In my mind, the same thing applied to the production of meat for human consumption.  Organically raised meat and poultry does not contain harmful drug-resistant bacteria.  However, these news reports seem to indicate that organic foods were somehow super foods that contain added ingredients that promote good health.

Informed buyers of organic food know that what makes the products better are the substances that are missing from them—pesticides and drug-resistant bacteria.  Also they know that the missing pesticides are not around to run off of the fields to pollute the water supply.  The pesticides are not around to negatively impact the health of the people working in the fields to produce the crops.  Finally, the pesticides are not around to kill the honeybees that pollinate the crops.

After garnering viewers’ attention with their misleading headlines, some of the news reporters mentioned as an aside that the study results did show that organic fruits and vegetables contain about a 30% lower level of pesticides than conventional fruits and vegetables and that the concentration of drug-resistant bacteria in organic poultry and pork is about 60% less than the amount in their conventional counterparts.  To this viewer, that is significant and is a step in the right direction.  Of course organic products cost more, but if organic foods were the rule rather than the exception, the cost differential would narrow.  Also, it is expected that the positive impact of a healthier diet would be realized in reduced illnesses and their accompanying medical costs.

Of note, it was pointed out that organic foods are a great choice for pregnant women.  Well—should we only maintain a healthy diet if we are reproducing, or should we eat healthy foods always?  It seems from the newscasts that the millennial generation understands what is going on because they were reported as the group most likely to eat organic foods.  Obviously, priorities are a matter of choice because compared with many older people, this group is just starting out in the workforce and generally have lower incomes and fewer assets.  Yet they put healthy food high on their priority list.

There is so much information out there on green initiatives.  It is so important that we carefully study the information fed to us and separate fact from fiction.  Let’s think green, educate green, live green, be green.

Changing Taste Spearheads Green Movement

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While browsing the Internet this morning, I discovered an interesting article on the impact of the food industry on the environment.  This article features commentary by Arlin Wasserman, Chair of the Sustainable Business Leadership Council at the Culinary Institute of America.  Wasserman acknowledges the food industry’s inability to show environmental improvement, its lack of transparency, and the failure of some leading companies to alter the status quo.  He states that these issues create an incongruence with both the younger generation and the overall population, who are becoming more enlightened regarding the need to grow and harvest food in a more soundly manner.

This article lists some very relevant statistics regarding the agricultural industry:

  • Farming and ranching accounts for 40% of arable land in the world.
  • Farming and ranching uses 30% to 70% of fresh water.
  • Approximately 50% of greenhouse emissions can be attributed to farming and ranching.
  • Second only to oil, coffee is one of the most valuable legally traded commodities worldwide.
  • Half of the food produced globally is wasted due to improper harvesting and storage.

A major concern voiced by Wasserman is the change that has taken place regarding consumers’ relationship with food consumption and preparation.  We now rely on restaurants, carryouts and delicatessens for the majority of our meals.  This phenomenon results in fewer people even knowing how to cook or being informed about the sources of food or the ingredients used in meal preparations.

With his work with the Culinary Institute of Art, Mr. Wasserman aims to address problems with the food industry.  This organization strives to implement better decisionmaking about health, selection of food and our relationship and impact on the environment .  Hopefully, with the help of emerging associations such as Culinary Institute of Art, we can live green, be green.

Green Nutrition Nourishes the Planet

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The current world population of over seven billion has necessitated discussion to find ways to be smarter about producing, eating, sharing and preserving food.  At the recent “Eating Planet” symposium in New York, the World Watch Institute and the Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition assembled a panel of farming and food policy experts to share their findings and statistics on this subject.  Research indicates that there are more than one billion obese and overfed people on the planet.  Many of these people are impacted by the adverse health issues associated with obesity, such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, just to name a few.  On the other hand, there are more than one billion people on this planet who are underfed and must struggle with poverty and hunger on a regular basis.  Amazingly, agriculture is the solution to both of these problems.

Growing indigenous crops empowers any group of people to be independent.  Also, the most sustainable foods on the planet yield the lowest carbon footprint.  A plant-based diet consisting of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds are vital to our health.  Conversely, a diet rich in meat relies on the use of the life-sustaining grains that are so beneficial to people, and in turn, its consumption adversely affects our health.  The transportation costs required to get meat to communities, along with the fuel expenses, preservation costs, etc., also negatively impact the environment.

We would be doing ourselves and the planet a big favor by reducing our meat consumption and increasing our consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc.  Making contributions to funds that educate underfed populations to grow indigenous crops also is something to consider.  Face it, our population is growing, but our planet is not getting bigger.  Let’s work together to make a difference.  Live green, be green.

Go Green with Eco-Fashion

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Eco-fashion is a term that denotes the commitment of designers to produce and promote the use of sustainable, ethical and environmentally-conscious products.  The term is contemporary; however, a green relationship between fashion designers and environmentalists has existed for centuries.

The major concerns of green fashion are the following:

  • Recycling of materials
  • Origin of material (fair trade concerns)
  • Textile dying and production
  • Quality of craftmanship
  • Fair labor practices
  • Humane treatment of animals

Eco-fashion has evolved further to include reducing consumption and recognizing the need to be stylish while being fashionably green.  This movement focuses on centering a wardrobe around the basics, i.e., the little black dress or basic suit, and then accessorizing with scarves, jewelry and shoes to transition a look for different periods of the day or various events.  Magazines, television shows, You Tube videos now feature helpful money-saving and style-enhancing techniques to look nice and be green.  Also, there are several books available on the market that provide great tips on everyday and specialty and seasonal dressing, all accomplished in a tasteful, frugal and green manner.  An excellent place to start is with Katy Tsui‘s blog on the Huffington Post at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kaity-tsui/10-fashion-resources_b_1609629.html?utm_hp_ref=stylelist&ir=Stylelist.  Katy provides great multimedia references on the subject of fashion.  Her dialogue on green responsibility is refreshing in its simplicity.

There are so many ways to go green, and eco-fashion is a fun way to get involved.

Let’s dress green, go green, be green!