Recent scientific studies have indicated that glyphosate, the active component in RoundUp, causes cancer. RoundUp and other pesticides, herbicides, rodenticides, and fungicides are sprayed on commercially grown produce to maximize product yields while decreasing crops lost to insects, unwanted weeds, small mammals, and fungus. But these substances would be better categorized as “biocides” because they don’t just kill pests, weeds, rodents, and fungus but every living organism on a plot of land. This includes microorganisms which shape the soil’s microbiome. These microorganisms are critical for maintaining healthy soil, upholding humus (decaying, nutrient rich organic matter) integrity, supporting water retention, and recycling minerals for uptake by plants. When biocides are sprayed, these organisms are killed and what remains isn’t so much as soil, but dirt.

The crops produced on these commercial farms may have greater crop yields; however, there are many issues. These crops are loaded with carcinogenic pesticides like RoundUp, are less nutrient dense than similar crops grown organically (without pesticides), and result in massive food waste. It’s estimated that about half of the food produced in the United States is thrown away every day due to spoilage. Because these soils are devoid of microorganisms, there’s very little recycling of key and trace minerals necessary for healthy crop growth. The result is sick crops that strip the soil of life. When people eat these crops, they get sick (because of chemicals) and don’t feel satisfied (because the food isn’t nutrient dense), causing overconsumption and, eventually, obesity.

Organic farms work to rotate crops and avoid the use of damaging chemicals. These practices uphold soil integrity and yield healthier crops. Biodynamic farming is the gold standard of agriculture. This method of farming intermingles many different crops and animals on the same plot of land. As the crops use different minerals, the animals naturally fertilize the soil. The result is an ecosystem rich in diversity and microbial life. It’s been show that this method of farming can produce far more crops than the same portion of commercial farm, all keeping the surrounding environment intact. Commercial farming fails to do this because it’s labor intensive and cannot be scaled to levels satisfying to investors (yet).

Buying organic is better for your health and the planet’s health, but not all organic farms are created equal. Some “organic” companies are owned by large corporations like Kellog’s and Coke. Because there’s a demand for organic in the market, these organizations lobby to create laws around organic farming, lessening the once strict requirements to uphold an organic farm. To avoid confusion while shopping, try to only buy “Certified Organic” produce. If it’s not certified by an organization outside of the USDA (from which the bad standards come from) then you’re wasting your money on “organic” food that is pretty much commercial food.

Big Agriculture, Big Pharma, and Big Food are all massive entities that don’t care about consumer health but about their profit margins and return on investments. This is capitalism gone bad, where organizations lose their morals to make profits. But there is a silver lining to this whole capitalistic system: we can make a difference with every dollar we spend.

Every time you buy local, organic produce over commercially farmed crops, you are voting with your dollars. Have you noticed that the perimeters of grocery stores (where the fresh food is) have been growing and the aisles have been shrinking? That’s due to consumer behavior. When there’s a greater demand for real, organic produce and sustainable raised meat, companies will have no choice but to adapt. If you stop buying packaged, processed foods and instead buy local produce and products, that money is supporting organic farmers instead of big corporations.

It may not seem like you or I can make a difference with our purchases. But here’s a thought experiment: what if everybody in your town decided to stop buying packaged foods altogether. What would happen to your grocery stores? Odds are, there would be less cereals and more apples, less bonbons and more grass fed ice cream. This is a systems problem, but it’s solved by our own personal choices to buy organic, local food.

For all those people who say “but we can’t feed the world on organic agriculture,” let me remind you that it’s never been tried before. The market has never shifted so severely to produce that seemingly radical outcome. But we vote with our forks and our knives. If YOU begin buying organic tomorrow and buy organic for the rest of your life, I guarantee you will make more ripples than you think. This problem is not solved all at once but in the choices we make every day, every week, and every month.

The future is in our hands and our wallets. Will you be a part of the real food movement?