Do you, like many others, find it difficult to fill your entire shopping cart with organic products? Then start by switching out a few important items that make a difference for the environment and people. Here are five products that are best when they're organic.
Coffee
Several toxic chemical pesticides are used on coffee plantations. They damage – and in the worst case, kill – nature, animals, and humans. Choose organic coffee, it makes a big difference for everyone involved.
Bananas & Grapes
Two fruits that are heavily sprayed with pesticides. Extremely environmentally hazardous pesticides are used on banana plantations that can cause nervous system damage to workers and their children. And grapes, with their thin skins, can contain residues of several chemical pesticides. In an EU sample test of a package of grapes, for example, residues of 20 different pesticides were found. If you can't find organic bananas, grapes, raisins, or wine, it might be a good idea to choose something else.
Dairy Products
For just a few extra dollars, you can get organic dairy products that provide great benefits both in Sweden and in other parts of the world. You contribute to healthier water, fewer chemicals, and creating environments where more birds and flowers thrive. And in countries like Brazil, no nature or people need to be poisoned. Why? Because organic cows mainly eat plants from their own farm, instead of heavily sprayed feed from the other side of the globe.
Meat
Do you want meat from happier animals? Choose organic. As a bonus, you get the same important environmental benefits as when you buy organic dairy products. If organic isn't available, Swedish pasture-raised meat is also good. (Nope, not Brazilian, it should be Swedish.) But the most important thing of all is actually to eat less meat altogether.
Potatoes
Did you know that pesticides can be found in almost all Swedish waters? Yes, even in the rain that falls on us. By choosing organic, fewer toxins spread in our environment. Potatoes are one of the crops most heavily sprayed with pesticides in Sweden. A real villain is the King Edward variety – a king that should be dethroned! Source: The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation
