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Organic Food versus Oil Wars

Ten reasons why eating organic food helps avoid oil wars.

  1. Non-organic food is farmed using agrochemicals made from crude oil. For every kilogramme of artificial nitrogen for use in fertilisers, you need a litre of crude oil. By choosing organic food, you are choosing to eat food that’s grown without using petrochemicals. Which means the food you eat will have far less connection with oil-rich countries and the wars that are being fought to secure an oil supply.
  2. The best way as organic consumers that we can oppose the current occupation of Iraq, threat of new wars with neighbouring OPEC members, and the widespread environmental and human impact of the global oil industry is to buy locally grown organic food. Locally grown organic food is not tainted with the environmental and political impact of the fuel used to transport non-local organic food supplies. Buy organic food from box schemes and farmers markets wherever possible, or from other ethical retailers. With the current oil wars and the rising impact of climate change, it is more urgent than ever for UK retailers to stop selling us cheap organic imported food. Whilst the Tesco supermarket group currently imports about 80% of it’s organic food, more ethical supermarket chains like Waitrose only import up to 15%. The huge amount of organic food imported from distant countries is not necessary to supply demand.
  3. For every calorie of energy in non-organic food that is derived from the sun, between four and ten calories are added from petrochemicals. 4% of the US energy budget is used to grow non-organic food, whereas 10% to 13% is spent on distributing this food.
  4. Consider going vegetarian. 70% of all US grown grain is fed