When consumers say organic foods are the best for you because markets tell you that there are healthier for you, makes me wonder, do these people really formulate the process that goes into the organic food business. That is what Steven Shapin, author of “What Are You Buying When You Buy Organic?” debated in the book They Say, I Say. The purpose of his article is to inform people that are maybe interested in converting from non-organic foods to a healthier lifestyle, what the process is to acquire organic foods. Also he wanted to expose how much money it takes to keep foods legitimately fresh. He did this because he wants the readers to understand how much these organic companies emphasize to keeping through foods organic, which is not …show more content…
I believe this is the most informative appeal because he provides the readers with multiple instances when he uses other credible people’s (scientists, geographers, farmers) findings and puts it in his article. An example from the article was when Shapin was talking about geographer, Julie Gutman, who wrote Agrarian Dreams: The Paradox of Organic Farming in California. Her article was referring to the massive gold rush in California as a starting point for organic farmers to use that land as a starting point for their business (431). I would say she is a credible source because not only is she a geographer, but also because she went beyond her given title and wrote about how organic farming basically evolved in California. Also, I believe the Shapin is very much credible as well because he teaches at Harvard University and he has written even more articles about the genetics of foods and sciences. One of the many examples of ethos that Shapin used in his article happened to be when he was talking about the early stages of an “organic movement” (Shapin 433) and referred to Sir Albert Howard’s 1940 book “An Agricultural Testament”. “It was thought that all plants really needed from the soil was the correct quantities and proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium” (433). This quote from Howard’s book can be proven as a credible source because was he agronomist, whom specialize in
Organic foods are no longer only found in health food stores; they have become a mainstay in our supermarkets. Today’s consumers are faced with the decision of whether or not it is worth the cost to buy organic. To determine the answer to this question one will need to determine if it has been scientifically determined that consumption organic food products are more beneficial to one’s health.
Traits of organic food can also be misconstrued in the sense of the ingredients and how it is different from the way processed food is produced. “In reality, certified organics have lower levels of chemical residue, Roethal argues, which is positive for consumers, farm workers and the land itself, but organic growing practices have no impact on how many nutrients, calories or grams of fat are in anyone's favorite foods”(SFGate). As mentioned previously in the quote, often times organic food can benefits one’s health because of the little amount in which chemicals and calories are in the substance. The concern about organic food is that it is substantially more expensive than non-organic food. However,“Organic food sales are increasing by double digits annually, and more than 80 percent of parents reported buying organic food for their families last year”, according to Batch. With the high-price of organic food, this could also be a reason on why people tend to lean more towards the less healthier items, all because of the low cost. Even though there are different and confusing standards on what organic really is, the ideal description would typically be foods that do not have the same producing process as non-organic food.
Over the last few years, awareness of organic food has risen. Due to this, the demand for organic food is a factor which is influencing the farmers to switch to use this technique, and it is being sold in specialty stores and conventional supermarkets. Organic products contain numerous marketing claims that it is healthier, it offers more value, and the farming is more environmentally friendly than traditional foods, so, how does one determine if organic is the way to go? Some argue that there is evidence that supports and demonstrates why organic foods and farming are better overall, while others insist that conventional foods and agriculture can offer the same benefits as going organic. There is no right or wrong answer. Within this
Steven Shapin is an expert when it comes to telling people the reality of the situation. In his, article “What Are You Buying When You Buy Organic?” Shapin exposes and explains the truth behind the word organic. He explains that our view on organic is not a reality. The small farms that we picture in our heads are really just big business in disguise. He then constantly goes back and forth defending those big businesses and rejecting them. While the reasoning and logic of “What Are You Buying When You Buy Organic?” is quite strong, Shapin’s lack of argument makes the article seem a little all over the place and therefore makes it unconvincing.
A growing number of consumers favor organic foods, claiming that it tastes better and is healthier. Why organic? Organic foods grown naturally in well-balanced soils, ripened by the sun are healthier and tastier than products with synthetic chemicals and growth hormones.
Furthermore, Shapin was informative, argumentative, and logical throughout his essay. In “What Are You Buying When You Buy Organic Foods”, by Steven Shapin, his main goal in the essay proves targeting both organic and non-organic consumers to understand the controversy of buying organic products. His points comes across clear and allows the readers to follow along without confusion. Shapin’s points in targeting bigger organizations in regards to the industry, health, and the virtue proves his point that buying organic food proves not always having the best
Long time ago, the idea of organic food was something ridiculous, nobody cared. But after proved the nutritional benefits and better taste of organic food, many farmers become interest in grown organic food. The article Beyond Organic by Eliot Coleman said that “Now that the food-buying public has become enthusiastic about organically grown foods, the food industry wants to take over.”
Eliot Coleman’s article seems to take the approach that “organic” foods have shifting into becoming large and commercial enterprises that are not true to what the term used to mean. He seems to want to focus more on the health of various crops and wants to promote crops and livestock that are able to be healthy and naturally resistant to the environment. Then in Justin Rohrlich’s piece, there is a critical focus on the consumer who chooses to buy natural products from places like Whole Foods. This article seems to point towards the attitudes of those people and casts societal labels on them by accusing them of being privileged in their shopping and considering those who don’t consume organic to be of less importance. Both articles seem to dislike the commercialization of organic foods more so than the actual food itself. I don’t feel as though either author is taking the position of favoring standard foods over organic.
The food industry allows consumers to choose from a wide variety of products. However, most food corporations fail to tell the story behind their food. Is this secrecy due to their methods in creating their products? Conventional farming is America’s leading source of food production. Yet, the controversial practices used in conventional farming, may lead American’s to question if this is the only farming source that can feed our nation. Since 1972, organic farming has been creeping up the success ladder and demonstrating the methods involved can withstand the food demands of our nation. With the rising popularity of organic farming, U.S. citizens now have the option to purchase wholesome food. Consumers curious about purchasing organic goods should be aware of the notable differences between organic and conventional practices. The significant differences between organic and conventional farming include; animal welfare, health, and environmental. With the given information, consumers will be able to make informed decisions about their food purchases.
The history of organic foods is controversial. When consumers hear the term "organic", many expect foods that are treated with fewer or no "bad chemicals", foods that are more nutritious, or "natural", and those that are less processed or may entail closer care and attention to crops and livestock. However, this is a long list of expectations that are difficult to meet, so the question is actually whether or not the certification process and benefits are worth the hassle. When it comes to health, there is no difference between organic and conventional produce. Both offer the same nutrient benefits. While choosing to eat fresh produce is better for your health than processed food, choosing organic does not lead to any additional benefits. This
A healthy diet leading to a longer life. Doctors recommend organic foods for patients with heart or glucose problems and nutritional scientists have glorified it as the new fountain of youth. However, the truth is coming to light that these claims might be false, that organic foods might be causing people more harm than one may think. In his essay “What Are You Buying When You Buy Organic?” Author Steven Shapin states that “Earthbound notes that its farming techniques annually obviate the use of more than a quarter of a million pounds of toxic chemical pesticides and almost 8.5 million pounds of synthetic fertilizers, which saves 1.4 million gallons of the
Organic means a compounds or food substances that contain carbon or another meaning is that it’s product are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionization radiation. The scientist believes that it’s can be misleading because the producer or retailer take the opportunity to use the organic label on anything to raise the prices of their product. The organic certification is a certification process for producers of organic food and other organic agricultural products such as seed suppliers, farmers, food Processors, and etc. Before 1990, the certified organic food label is can be very misleading because it’s not been proved to be safer or nutritious as the regular food, but the prices are double of that cost. In 1990, the U.S. Organic Foods Production Act that direct the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to establish certification standards and any seal or claim that is not meet the standard requirement, the company can be fines of 10000 per violent. There is not enough scientific nor strong evidence to prove that organic is safe or reduce exposure to pesticides and antibiotic-resistant bacteria than regular food. Organic food is about 30 percent less contamination of chemical than regular food and this it still below the government safety tolerance. However, it’s difficult to point out and using precautions and educated yourself when chose your food, will able to minimize consumer from fraud. Organic food is more nutritious than conventional because have a lower risk of harmful substance or chemical add to the food like pesticides and have higher essential nutrition like mineral and vitamins and fewer nitrates. I would purchase organic food because it a natural food growth, more nutritious, and probability safer to eat than the conventional food. However, between prices, I would still prefer the conventional one because is something that I can afford it. I also would choose conventional food
Video “ Infact: Organic Food Myths” by Brian Dunning (DATE). Dunning two main points are: what is organic and is it healthier. According to Dunning what makes food organic is how it is farmed. Organic farming rejects modern agriculture development. To my surprise I found out that organic products are grown with fertilizer and pesticides, just as nonorganic products. The word organic is use as a marking tool to get individual to buy their products. Dunning also bring up that yes you may find a few study that says organic is healthier, but there are more study that show their no different. Each individual has the choice to believe what we want. Education is key knowing more about organic food is beneficial so am not fouled into spending
“‘I just feel like I’ve already built up an immunity to anything that might be in my food,’ the 26-year-old told me” (Lazarus). The health of food is considerably the thing that most people look for when shopping at a store. “What you’re paying for, presumably, is a more healthful diet. That means produce that hasn’t been drenched in pesticides, chicken and beef that hasn’t been pumped full of antibiotics, milk with even more nutritional value” (Lazarus). While people may believe that organic food is healthier, that doesn’t mean that it is. “Many people buy organic food because they think it’s healthier. But whether it is remains an open question—even after years of research and debate” (Cernansky). Skepticism when judging the health of both organic and conventional foods create a big topic of discussion. “But, in the United States, the label simply means that the food has met guidelines set out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture” (Cernansky). Many people may believe that the U.S. Department of Agriculture approving our organic food makes it healthier. On the other hand, conventional foods may not be pumped with antibiotics that make it unhealthy. When comparing organic foods and conventional foods, the drastic price is most
Organic versus non-organic foods are always being debated to whether they are worth the extra cost. This seems to be an easy question, at first, but begs a more in-depth analysis to come to a conclusion. Organic definitions can vary by government, company and even individuals. Many people have their own ideas of what organic means. My personal definition, before this research assignment, was that organic products were grown with no pesticides, chemical additives, or preservatives and grown in a humane way. Meaning that if it said 100% organic, that is what was meant. This however, is not the case when it comes to the government’s definition of organic, according to T. A. Niewold who wrote, “Organic More Healthy; Green Shoots in a