Re: I think the organic movement is mostly a big scam: an excuse to charge more money for less food.
kHz1000 Send a noteboard - 13/09/2012 11:05:37 AM
The worst thing is that nobody knows what it means. As Isaac points out, all food is made of organic compounds, as it's all carbon-based. So obviously that's not what's meant. Originally it seemed to mean not genetically modified – this was back when loads of people were banging on about how we shouldn't "play God" with our food. Then it somehow turned into no chemical pesticides. And what if stuff is artificially bulked up by injecting it with water? I assume there must be rules about this kind of thing, but I don't believe there's any public awareness of them. I can't even find a definition on the website of DEFRA, which certifies organic food in the UK.
In Romance and Slavic languages "organic" is consistenly translated as either organic, ecological or biological. (for example biologique in French). Biological doesn't make much sense either. Finnish is ingenious, IMO, since we coined a whole new word (luomu) from the existing word "luonnonmukainen", meaning natural.
Your point about water-injected food is excellent. It goes against the ideas of organic food (you shouldn't mislead customers) but I didn't find any actual rules in the EU directives ( 834/2007 and 889/2008 ). Well, I've only read about 10% of them as schoolwork. I'd be very surprised if it isn't mentioned, though. Everything else is, and very painstakingly.
I honestly think a lot of people who buy organic do so because they think it's more moral in some undefined way, or even just that if it's more expensive it must be better. For all I know there may well be benefits to organic food*, but if so, nobody's told me what they are in a way that makes sense.
*By which I mean food that is labelled as organic in supermarkets, as opposed to any individual's opinion about what constitutes "real" organic food.
I'd be interested in knowing what you guys think about organic food
- 11/09/2012 08:01:41 PM
1176 Views
I think it makes sense in some cases but mostly it makes you feel like you are doing something
- 11/09/2012 08:25:54 PM
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Re: I'd be interested in knowing what you guys think about organic food
- 11/09/2012 08:55:17 PM
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Re: I'd be interested in knowing what you guys think about organic food
- 11/09/2012 09:20:49 PM
709 Views
i suggest watching henry rollins' film h is for hunger. and then looking up research on gmo crops'
- 12/09/2012 12:57:48 AM
552 Views
I think organic food is a luxury that few will want as food prices increase in the coming decades.
- 11/09/2012 10:11:33 PM
632 Views
Re: I think organic food is a luxury that few will want as food prices increase in the coming --
- 11/09/2012 10:35:08 PM
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Re: I think organic food is a luxury that few will want as food prices increase in the coming --
- 12/09/2012 02:38:24 AM
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If you are also interested in more views, todays New York Times is discussing it, also.
- 12/09/2012 02:45:22 AM
742 Views
organic has always been more about the process than the extra nutrition
- 12/09/2012 04:02:53 PM
645 Views
Re: organic has always been more about the process than the extra nutrition
- 12/09/2012 04:43:02 PM
694 Views
I think the organic movement is mostly a big scam: an excuse to charge more money for less food.
- 12/09/2012 11:40:40 PM
609 Views
Actually, I believe the "no pesticides" part predates the "no GMOs" part.
- 13/09/2012 05:26:53 AM
629 Views
You're right...
- 13/09/2012 08:43:52 AM
708 Views
Thanks for confirming my general impression as right on the money.
- 14/09/2012 03:35:56 PM
675 Views
Re: Thanks for confirming my general impression as right on the money.
- 16/09/2012 07:45:25 PM
687 Views
That is a very interesting overview, thanks.
- 17/09/2012 11:22:38 PM
657 Views
Curious as to where you read these things
- 13/09/2012 08:41:43 PM
676 Views
I am aware of no corroborating scientific research, no
- 14/09/2012 03:53:42 PM
697 Views
I have some serious problems with that I'm afraid.
- 14/09/2012 05:53:39 PM
581 Views
Fair enough; I have some serious fears with GMOs. 
- 15/09/2012 03:58:13 AM
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- 15/09/2012 03:58:13 AM
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Re: I think the organic movement is mostly a big scam: an excuse to charge more money for less food.
- 13/09/2012 11:05:37 AM
619 Views