Are Your Organic Groceries Really Sustainable?

As the grocery giants jump on the organic bandwagon, their actions beg the question just how sustainable are the organic foods we buy at our local grocery store? If a core reason for buying organic—in addition to the health issue—is to contribute to a smaller, sustainable food economy, then where does our dollar really end up when we walk out with our bag of organic lettuce, or carton of organic milk?

It's no secret that organic is now big business; Wal-Mart has introduced what they call an "aggressive" plan toward sustainability, Safeway has rolled out their "O" brand and, according to a 2002 report, 39% of the U.S. population uses organic products. As a result, many sustainable-minded consumers (that's—hopefully—you and me) are trying to buy their food from smaller, independent companies. But there is one really, really big problem with this approach: it's nearly impossible.

In the chart above (view a larger version at creator Phil Howard's site), you can see how the organic food industry is already dominated by Big Business. Whether you buy from Whole Foods, Safeway or Wal-Mart, that organic milk you just picked up most likely came from cows lined up in feedlots much like conventional cows. So what? you ask. As long as it's legally labeled "organic," what does it matter? Well, for starters:

1. Large-scale organic producers must ship their goods thousands of miles, depleting fuel resources and causing significant air pollution in the process.
2. Big Business muscles their way around Washington, diluting USDA definitions of organic and loosening labeling restrictions.
3. Large-scale organic producers inevitably rely on non-sustainable practices to remain profitable.

But this doesn't mean that you shouldn't buy organic products. In fact, there are plenty of things you can do to buy sustainable organics. Some are simple, while some may take a little more effort:

1. Read labels: Look for production facilities that are close to home (this is by no means a fool-proof method, but it may help give you an indication of how far the item has traveled).
2. Visit a farmers' market: Purchasing from nearby producers stimulates your local economy and helps reduce the freight impact of shipping over long distances (find a farmers' market near you).
3. Subscribe to a vegetable box: Many farms offer a weekly or biweekly delivery service so that you don't have to hunt down organic produce (find a local subscription).