Mystery Terms of the Organic Movement Defined

We’ve all heard a lot about the Organic Movement. The news is constantly telling us the dangers of certain products or the newest development in the field of Organic meats or agriculture. But, have you ever read these kinds of articles or seen the Organic labels at your local grocery store and not really understood what they were talking about? Simply buying something that claims to be “Organic” does not mean that it is. By defining some of these new age terms, I will hopefully clear away some of the mystery surrounding the green movement.

Organic-a simple enough term yet so misunderstood. The term Organic when paired with the word farming means both agriculture and the food crops that result from it are grown within certain standards regulated by the government and that their farming methods are based on more natural practices without the use of many harmful pesticides and with more natural based fertilizers. By doing this, farmers are being held accountable for the products that they grow and a consumer can know where their food is coming from, how far it had to travel to you in order for you to purchase it and that potentially hazardous materials are not contaminating the food you choose to both buy and consume.

Biodegradable- is one of the most commonly used terms in the environmentally friendly movement. In the simplest terms, it is the process in which something breaks down by natural processes. These natural processes include: sunlight, oxygen and moisture. Biodegradability is extremely important in the green movement. By choosing biodegradable environmentally friendly products, you are insuring that when it is flushed down a toilet, sink or sewer, or placed in a landfill, it will be able to break down into more basic components that won’t hurt or contaminate the earth or risk polluting clean water sources or organic agriculture.

Sustainability-when in reference to the environment, this term describes how different parts of our ecological structure remain productive and are constantly evolving in positive ways in order to maintain their own well-being in nature. For example: an natural forest or wetland. A perfect example of a non-sustainable resource in our society today are petroleum or oil based products. Once the last of the world’s oil has been used, there will be no more to replace it. Research to find renewable, sustainable resources is key to maintaining our current way of life while also encouraging a healthier, more efficient environmental standing.

Fair Trade-is a organized movement to help groups in developing countries promote their individual trades while encouraging better working conditions and environmental standards. Small scale producers of handicrafts and crops can sell their goods under the guidance and shelter of more established countries like the United States, ensuring fair distribution of the profits and improved labor practices.