How Shopping Organic and Working From Home are Better for Us All

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It’s indubitable that organic food is better for your health, but why is it so hurtful for your wallet? Organic food reflects the ideal cost of producing food, from sustainable pay for farmers to the elimination of toxic synthetic pesticides and additives. Organic farming methods are also often more labor-intensive but can have lower yields, since they are less protected from pests and diseases. Organic products also have to be kept separate from conventional products, which increases costs for shipping and handling. It even costs a lot of money to get certified as an organic farm. Finally, supply is limited compared to demand, which ultimately raises prices and forces some to only afford conventional produce. However, there are twelve foods (particularly produce) that you should always buy organic:

• Apples

• Celery

• Cherries

• Grapes

• Kale

• Nectarines

• Peaches

• Pears

• Potatoes

• Spinach

• Strawberries

• Tomatoes

  
  

According to a Pew Research survey, 76% of adults buy organic food for health reasons, 33% for environmental reasons, and 22% for convenience. In 2021, organic retail sales were estimated to be more than $52 billion, about 5.5 percent of all retail food sales. U.S. farms and ranches sold nearly $11 billion in organic products in 2021.

Working from home has taken over the current job market, especially post-pandemic. However, it also has amazing effects for our environment! Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. By reducing commuting and cars on the road, we help lower that amount immensely. If 3.9 million people worked from home at least half time, that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions in an amount equivalent to removing 600,000 cars for an entire year! In 2019, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimated that approximately 142.71 billion gallons of gasoline were used in the U.S. (about 390.98 millions gallons a day!). Thus, less greenhouse gasses also leads to less fossil fuels, as well as reduced air pollution. Working from home can also reduce carbon footprints by reducing consumption of power and office supplies. According to the Pew Research Center, around 22 million employed adults (aged 18 and over) in the U.S. work from home all the time, equalling to roughly 14% of all employed adults. Working remote is also feasible for people in different income brackets. A survey from USA Today also showed that the percentage of people in each income group who were fully remote decreased as earnings increased.

• Of those earning under $50,000 per year, 42% were fully remote.

• Of those earning between $125,000 and $200,000 per year, only 18% were fully remote.

• Of those earning over $200,000 per year, just over 25% were fully remote.

  
  

By switching to organic shopping and working remotely as much as possible, one can take steps towards better health and a better environment!