Organic Farming and Sustainability An Ethnography by Ricky Komarovskiy

Our Food Community Our chosen food community is the University of Denver students. We chose this community because we are students ourselves, and wanted to research our peer’s awareness about organic food and its ties with sustainability.

Claims First, the definition of Sustainability: the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance. Organic food consumption and sustainability are greatly correlated; organic food consumption creates sustainability. In order for our food community to be sustainable, there must be an increase in organic food consumption. Members of our food community, are unaware of the positive environmental effects organic food consumption has. They are only aware of health benefits.

Key Issues on a Local Scale Most, if not, all people are aware of the health benefits of consuming organic food. Most people don’t eat organic for the majority of their food. People generally aren’t very aware of what they eat on a daily basis. There is not enough awareness about the sustainability and environmental benefits of consuming organic food.

Key Issues on a Global Scale A GMO is a genetically modified organic. They are plants that have been modified with genetic engineering to make the resistant to some sort of insects, disease, or weed. However, very harmful pesticides are still used when growing GMOs. Current mass agricultural farming methods are not sustainable. They involve the use of GMOs which destroy the environment and promote mono-cropping. Continued use of GMOs will destroy the environment and is not a sustainable way to grow foods. A switch to organic farming and agriculture will be able to sustain humanity in the long term.

Research Methodology Text-based Research: Various articles related to organic food consumption and sustainability were found in the online databases provided by the University of Denver Field Research: A survey was constructed with questions involving organic food and its ties with sustainability and environmental impact. The survey was IRB compliant and was given out to random students at the Centennial Halls dorms.

Research Results Organic farming methods promote sustainability. Organic farming methods positively affect the environment by promoting biodiversity, conservation of resources, and renewable practices. People are very aware of the health benefits of organic food, but don’t eat it very much. Although there is a large price premium in organic food as compared to nonorganic, it is not the main driving factor that keeps consumers from purchasing food. The main people who purchase organic food are those with families with children under 18, and those that are well-educated.

Notable Result: 72% of people didn’t know what percentage of their daily food consumption was organic. This can imply that people aren’t very aware of what they are eating in general.

Notable Result: 51% of people don’t know that organic food consumption directly impacts the environment, but 100% of people believe organic food is healthy. Yet, an overwhelming majority don’t know how much organic food they actually eat.

A Call to Action In order to transition from GMOs being the main food supply to organics, there must be an increase in consumer demand for organic food. To increase the consumer demand for organic food: Provide more education to the population about organic foods. Clearer labelling of organic foods in grocery stores. More advertisements for organic foods. Subsidize organic farming in order to decrease the price premium people have to pay for organics.

Future Research Ways to increase demand for organic foods amongst the consumer. A way to do organic farming on a global scale. An alternative to GMOs. Ways to increase awareness about the countless benefits of consuming organic food. Other methods of food production for sustainability.

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