The Benefits to the Environment of Organic Agricultural Techniques

While a great deal of attention is paid to the health benefits of organic good, organic agricultural techniques and organic gardening can have some very meaningful and important benefits to the environment as well. Indeed, a number of significant scientific research studies have demonstrated that the transition to organic agriculture has had tremendous environmental benefits in a number of different locations around the globe.

In today’s world, farmers and gardeners who practice traditional farming and gardening methods rely upon synthetic chemicals to control pests and weeds in growing areas. Additionally, these conventional farmers and gardeners utilize chemical fertilizers to enhance the growth of their plantings and crops.

The use of chemicals in farming and gardening can and does have very serious long term effects on the environment. For example, these chemicals do not completely dissipate at the end of a growing season. Rather, these chemicals leech throughout the soil and into ground water systems. In the end, these chemicals contaminate surrounding plots of ground and can drift throughout a water system.

In addition to contaminating soil and water, these chemicals also act to damage the food chain itself. By way of a common example, cattle consume foliage that contains these chemicals. These chemicals become highly concentrated in the flesh of these cattle. (In addition, these chemicals can become concentrated in the milk of dairy cows.) Ultimately, if a person eats conventionally raised beef (or other animal products) or drinks conventionally prepared milk, these chemicals will begin to concentrate in his or her body.

With organic farming and organic gardening, no manmade chemicals are involved in the planting or cultivation process. Therefore no harmful build up of unhealthy chemicals occurs within the soil, the water or the food chain.

Another significant benefit to be found in organic farming and organic gardening is the fact that these types of agricultural practices reduce soil erosion. One of the more significant problems associated with conventional agricultural techniques is soil erosion. Indeed, millions of acres of otherwise arable farmland is lost each and every year due to soil erosion that occurs because of conventional farming practices. Through organic farming and organic gardening practices, the loss of prime agriculture land due to soil erosion drops practically to nothing.

Because of the myriad of benefits associated with organic farming and organic gardening, thousands of additional people are turning to these types of agricultural practices and techniques with each passing year.