Carbon saved by eating organically produced food
There are two major issues with farming non-organically: one is the prevalent and often liberal use of pesticides, and the other is the equally prevalent use of nitrogen fertilisers. We use over 31 million kg of pesticides
in the UK alone, and then spend £120 million cleaning them out of our water supply. As well as the residues still being present in our food,
pesticides are particularly harmful to the farmers spraying the crops, causing skin problems, infertility and respiratory issues.
Nitrogen fertilisers are made from fossil fuels and are responsible for a huge proportion - around 54% - of agricultural carbon emissions. Normal farming techniques use vast quantities, about 3 million tonnes a year in the UK,
which produces the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide, first in the manufacturing process and then again once it is loaded on to the soil. Nitrous oxide has 296 times the global warming potential of CO2 and each tonne of fertiliser creates 6.7 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. It is also responsible for water contamination, rendering 146 aquifers unusable over the last 30 years, which could have been used to supply drinking water to 3 million people a day. And its overuse is reducing biodiversity of plants and insects, starting a chain-reaction that affects other wildlife.
Around 1.13 million tonnes are used in the UK each year,
and as the fertiliser relies on natural gas in its manufacture, when fossil fuel prices rise, inevitably food prices will rise too.
Farming organically eliminates the need for nitrogen fertilisers and, as there is less reliance on industrial processes, reduces the need for fossil fuels too. Around 54% of agricultural emissions are due to nitrogen fertilisers, so switching eliminates this immediately.The soil is also healthier; farming methods encourage roots to go deeper and the soil locks in far more carbon as a result - about 23 times more than normal farming methods. A study has shown that farming organically can save as much as two thirds CO2 per hectare due to no fertilisers being used, and save around 17% in energy. And organic fruit and vegetables are better for us all - they have higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and heart-protecting antioxidants.
Organic box schemes and home delivery increased by 53% in 2006 compared with the previous year, and more than double the growth of organic food within supermarkets.
Carbon saved by having a portion of food that is organic:
Of the 10.92 tonnes of CO2 emitted by each person in the UK, 2.1 tonnes is down to our food consumption. By eliminating fertiliser emissions by 54%, and energy use by 17%, switching to an organic, local diet can reduce your emissions by around two thirds to 0.7 tonnes.
Average carbon impact per meal of normal, non organic diet:
Assuming 2 cooked meals a day = 730 a year
2100 kg / 730 = 2.88 kg CO2 per meal.
Assuming that one portion of food constitutes a third of the plate, then carbon figure per portion of non-organic food = 2.88 / 3 = 0.96 kg CO2.
If the meal above was entirely organic, emissions for the whole plate would be a third of 2.88 kg CO2 i.e. 0.96 kg CO2 per meal.
Assuming that one portion of food constitutes a third of the plate, then carbon figure per portion of organic food = 0.96 / 3 = 0.32 kg CO2.
Therefore carbon saved by having a portion of organic food = 0.96 - 0.32 = 0.64 kg CO2 per portion.
Organic local foods
Internationally
http://www.linksorganic.com/uk/
Organic farms and box schemes in the UK
http://www.sustlife.com/br4up/ASustlife/FOOD.htm
Local box schemes
http://www.goingorganic.co.uk/index.htm
Delivery
http://www.farmaround.co.uk
Organic farmers' markets
http://www.organic-supermarket.co.uk/farmersMarkets.asp
Growing your own
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/todo_now/index.php
