Is Organic Food Worth the Extra Money?

#EcoAdvice from our expert

Dear Dr. Donley,

For my New Year’s resolution I want to start saving more money. At the grocery store, there’s a constant battle being waged between the part of me that wants to save money and the part of me that wants to do what’s best for my family’s health and the environment. Is buying organic really worth the extra money?

Signed,

Miser from Geyser, MT

Dear Miser,

This is a great question, because the true cost of our food choices isn’t always reflected in what we pay at the cash register.

As a nickel-nurser myself, I feel your pain. Fortunately doing what’s best for the environment is often compatible with saving money. Using less electricity or water, for example, can save you a considerable amount of money over time. But, alas, this is rarely the case when it comes to food. Or is it?

Pesticide exposure is associated with a whole slew of health problems. Environmental exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, many of which are pesticides, costs Europe $175 billion in healthcare-related costs each year. It’s common knowledge that exposing children to cigarette smoke is dangerous to their health, but not many people know that exposure to certain pesticides, at a young age, can be just as damaging to lung function as secondhand smoke. The costs of environmental degradation and cleanup are eventually passed along as well. These costs are not evident in the price tag, but they eventually get paid one way or another.

So the price differential at the store does not indicate that organic food costs too much, as is the common belief, but rather that nonorganic food costs too little. Just like stashing money away in your savings account, eating organic is an investment in your future health and the health of people and animals that are at the mercy of current farming practices.

When you’re at the store struggling with your inner dialogue, remember to be a BIG SPENDA.

B uy

I t

G rown

S ans

P esticides to

E ncourage

N ew

D irections for

A gricultural practices

There’s nothing like a tortured acronym to put things in perspective. Hope this all makes cents.

Stay wild,

Dr. Donley