Be Good to the Planet or Be Good to Yourself?

This week Time Magazine wrote a fabulous article on how the whole "Organic Craze" might not be the best thing for our environment. I may admit, I am one of those who eats organic foods as much as possible so as not to pollute my body and also to avoid all the complications that may arise when the pesticides reach the environment and water supplies. Never once did I think that my obsession with buying organic fruits and vegetables might actually not be the wisest decision.

It couldn't have been better timing for a greenhouse gas article to close up chapter 6 while also incorporating chapter 7 on pesticides. Since organic produce isn't always local, most likely it had to be flown in from across the country or even equator, thus contributing to the addition of greenhouse gases to our atmosphere. Pretty much the act balances itself out. The articles main focus was to buy local. Even if the produce isn't organic, it hasn't been boxed up an shipped all around the world, just so someone can have an organic pineapple.

Time reporter Gussow's famous statistic is that "Shipping a strawberry from California to New York requires 435 calories of fossil fuel but provides the eater with only 5 calories of nutrition."

It makes you wonder if that strawberry is really worth it.