Friday, August 6, 2010

Do Journalists Know What Organic Really Means? ABC7 news

Today I was watching ABC7 and they were doing a section on food with Steve Dolinsky called the Hungry Hound that reviews local restaurants and food of the Chicago area. As they were closing in, Steve Dolinsky mentioned something about organic pork being used more and more in Chicago restaurants, and one of the hosts of the program ( I did not catch her name unfortunately ) thought it was very funny to comment " Organic Pork? isn't that an oxymoron?" The other host was quick to reply that it is important what the pig had been fed, but the segment was ending so they quickly moved to a new topic. I think it is infuriating how people keep thinking that organic simply means healthier. Researching more into ABC7 website I found another video of a segment called Organic Answers, that is dedicated to make people understand organics. Needless to say they open up by saying "many people have been buying organic for years for health reasons". In the segment they go on explaining how after all certain fruits and vegetable can safely be bought even if not organic because of a thicker skin that is more resistant to pesticides. 
As much as I appreciate the fact that the organic market is getting more attention in the media, a trend that reflect a growing interest from the consumers, I really think they should inform themselves a little better as to what organic really means. I have been through this over and over on my website, but it is not just a matter of what is healthier for me, it is also a matter of what is better for the environment, the economy, the people and the animals involved. As long as organic will be associated with healthy only, there will always be people able to say that after all an organic vegetable has the same nutritional value of a non-organic one, which even if it were true, it is still not the point.

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