Eat organic food
Organic food certification requires that crops and livestock are grown and reared naturally, without artificial fertilisers, synthetic pesticides, chemical feeds, growth-promotion drugs or routine antibiotics. As a result, organic produce is chemical-free, often higher in the nutrients and minerals our bodies require, and most importantly, it can taste better. Also, meat derived from free-range and organic farms comes from animals that have been treated more humanely.
How to do it now!
Buy and eat organic food. Organic food is available everywhere - so check your local shops and supermarket, as well as online.
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Clove Organics - 121a Eight St, Mildura, Vic, 3500
Phone: (03) 5021 2230. Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 9am - 6pm. Saturday 9am - 12noon. - Grow Mildura Region - has a list of Organic and Bio-dynamic resources from the Mildura region.
The Australian Organic Food Directory can also lead you in the right direction.
Fruits and vegetables where the organic label matters the most. According to the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organisation that analyses the results of government pesticide testing in the United Sates of America, the following twelve fruits and vegetables have the highest pesticide levels on average. Because of their high pesticide levels when conventionally grown; it is best to buy these varieties as organically grown:
| Apples | Cherries | Nectarines |
| Capsicum / Peppers | Grapes | Peaches |
| Carrots | Kale | Pears |
| Celery | Lettuce | Strawberries |
Non-organic fruits and vegetables with low pesticide levels. These conventionally grown fruits and vegetables were found to have the lowest levels of pesticides. Most of these have thicker skin or peel, which naturally protects them better from pests, and which also means their production does not require the use of as many pesticides.
| Asparagus | Eggplant | Pineapple |
| Avocado | Kiwi | Peas (sweet) |
| Broccoli | Mango | Sweet Potatoes |
| Cabbage | Onion | Tomatoes |
| Corn (sweet) | Papaya | Watermelon |
Why is this action important?
Eating organic food helps negate climate change by using less transport and industrial energy, reducing nitrogen release into the environment (organic farming doesn't use artificial or synthetic fertilisers) and minimising salinity and soil loss caused by hard-hoofed animals and intensive farming methods. Organic farming has a positive impact on local ecosystems and biodiversity and can even help improve the local environment. Organic food is better for you - try it and taste the difference!