A discussion with a resident Gristmill economist on exactly why.
Why? Because organic fertilizer does not release nitrous oxide, chemical fertilizer does. It is a 296x worse GHG than CO2. Chemical fertilizer releases this GHG in an amount that is equivalent to 2/3 of the CO2 uptake of the crop fertilized.
Organic farming build the soil ecosystem to act as a living carbon sink, the praies were 20 to 30 feet thick with organic carbon rich soil when they were first plowed. The fertility was gone in 10 years, then chemical fertilizer burned the remaining organic matter out.
Pesticides and herbicides mimic hormones creating a danger to wildlife and humans. Frogs and fish are developing sexual abnormalities from these hormone mimicking compounds.
Organic food tastes better, much better. The living soil ecosystem creates flavor you just can't get with inert chemical ag soil. Those missing flavors make people eat more to try and satisfy their hunger, helping the obesity epidemic along.
Chem tomatoes? you need a ton of salad dressing, salt, and spices to choke them down. why would kids ever eat their vegetables when they taste like wet paper?
Stuff that in your "free" market reusable cloth bag, Jason. Hehey. Or do you only address economic arguments?
