Certified Organic

it's only natural...

corn3 cornucopiacorn2

Why certified organic?

The term "organic" has created much confusion in the natural health industry. According to a strict dictionary definition, organic means anything consisting of or derived from living matter and containing atoms of carbon. When this definition is applied to consumables marketed as natural and beneficial to our health, we are no longer talking about only products which have been grown or created without the use of harmful chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides or additives.

Certified organic, on the other hand, means exactly that. To qualify for organic certification growers and manufacturers must adhere to strict guidelines set out by an unbiased governing body which has no interest in profit margins or sales targets. A certified organic logo on any product is your guarantee that every ingredient in the product is chemical free.

These days, chemical use in the production of most consumables is commonplace, and generally accepted as the way of the times, but is this chemical overload really healthy for our bodies, or should we be considering the growing movement towards a more natural approach?

From the ground up...

To qualify for certification, organic farmers must go through a three year conversion period where all aspects of farming, from soil management to growing to sustainable crop rotation meet the standards of the certifying body. Crops harvested during this three year period will not qualify for certification, but afterwards, providing all standards are met,  the farm will be registered as certified organic and can use the certifiers logo. Yearly inspections and regular documentation of farming practices are then required for registration to continue.

As well as being sold fresh, organic produce is used in the manufacture of a multitude of products including skin care, household cleaners, clothing, baby goods and processed foods. Each step of the manufacturing process of these items must also meet certifyers standards if the end product is to wear their logo. Organic certification means the product contains only certified organic ingredients, and meets environmental requirements regarding transport, processing and packaging of goods.

When you see the certified organic logo, you can be sure the product has passed every stage of the certifying body's stringent requirements, from the ground up...


photo by Zunami

by Petra Newman

"If we allow the quality of our top soil to degrade to any degree, the life it supports goes with it." (Malcolm Beck - leading authority and practitioner in the field of organic growing.) As the d...read more
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by Victoria Taylor

In the early days of organic farming consumers lamented over the flaccid, bug-nibbled, exorbitantly expensive offerings available at the health food store. The burgeoning field of organic farming was ...read more
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Yes

by Ethan Holmes

Cost Versus Benefit Please forgive me if I begin my response with a caveat of sorts. My humble opi...read more
69 articles  Write NowDebate It

No

by Lauren Beyenhof

Despite having been proven safe by the FDA, preservatives and additives are still shunned by certain...read more
19 articles  Write NowDebate It

by Roy C Dudgeon

Bio-Accumulation: The Reality of Food Pollution:Bio-Accumulation (also referred to as biological amplification and biological magnification) refers to the process by which persistent organic pollutant...read more
3 articles  Write NowWrite


photo by Hitesh Shah

by Sandra Lynn

Coffee is a commodity most of us take for granted; every morning millions indulge in cup or two to kick-start their day. Coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia, and has become the worlds most popular...read more
4 articles  Write NowWrite

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Thank you....

Hello

Thank you for coming to have a look at my zone

I hope you found it to be interesting and informative

Please let me know by leaving a comment and rating the zone with a thumbs up or down

I am currently building a zone on how to create your own organic vegetable garden. When it's finished I will put the link in here under "My places"

Thanks again : )

Karyn...

 

by Frances Laing

This title is really the stuff of a doctorate thesis! It is difficult to chart the progress of any social movement. Take the suffragettes for example. Were they successful because women now have the v...read more
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by Just another writer

The trend towards natural and organic cosmetics has produced some wonderful healthy alternatives for our daily skin and body care regimes. Unfortunately, due to a lack of any governing authority to re...read more
4 articles  Write NowWrite

by Hillary Marshall

With all the recent attention that has been focused on global warming and the environment it comes to no surprise that more people are attempting to live a more " green " lifestyle. Switching to organ...read more
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photo by gardengrrrl

by Steve Christensen

Americans are "going green." They're converting their back yards to vegetable gardens; flower beds are showing off the stocky blooms of cauliflower as well as rosebushes. Not since Eleanor Roosevelt p...read more
20 articles  Write NowWrite


photo by House Of Sims

by Rena Sandou

According to the Organic Trade Association organic coffee sales in the United States reached $110 million in 2006, increased by 24 percent from 2005, while the imports of organic coffee to the U.S. an...read more
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What do you consider to be the most important factor when purchasing food?

*
Health benefits
Taste
Value for money
Environmental impact
Freshness

Showing Comments 1 to 3 of 3

Raven Lebeau
Posted on: May 24, 09 at 10:51 PM
Nice zone! I'm adding it to my "plants" zone bundle. I love the collection of logos and the fact that you have so many diverse topics, from coffee to cosmetics.
Just another writer
Posted on: Mar 06, 09 at 01:24 AM
Hi Petra. Thank you for taking a look and for leaving your comments here : ) Karyn...
Petra Newman
Posted on: Mar 05, 09 at 10:13 PM
Hi Karyn; What a great zone. In today's world health and environment go hand in hand. Your zone describes the importance of organic products in our lives. I feel honored that you showcased my article. Thank you so much:) best wishes. Petra

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Would you like to grow your own organic vegetables?


photo by milele

by Lesley Allen

The word 'cotton' usually conjures up an image of a natural, pure fibre. But, in fact, conventional cotton production is exceedingly detrimental both to the environment and to those who work in the in...read more
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Books...


chemical maze

The Chemical Maze

Essential shopping guide to food and cosmetics additives

 

organic gardening

Easy Organic Gardening and Moon Planting- by Lyn Bagnall

A how and why of organic gardening written by a certified organic farmer.

 

 

 

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