Organic
Where does what I eat come from? On conscious consumption, the most important organic labels – and an honest look at the “organic illusion”.
Living consciously · Nutrition
Where does my food come from?
For many of us, eating organic has long become a matter of course. For me it's less about a label than about awareness: developing a sense of where my food comes from and which cycles I support with my shopping.
What organic achieves
Organic farming protects soils, water and the climate, avoids synthetic chemical pesticides, promotes biodiversity and stands for more species-appropriate animal husbandry. Those are good reasons – for me, for the animals and for the world we pass on.
Understanding the labels
“Organic” doesn't mean the same thing everywhere. It helps to know the most important labels:
- EU organic logo – mandatory on packaged organic foods in the EU since 2010. It guarantees that at least 95 % of the ingredients come from organic farming – the legal minimum standard.
- Farming associations such as Demeter, Bioland and Naturland – usually stricter than EU-Bio: fewer permitted additives, and the entire farm must operate organically, not just one part of it.
If you want to look deeper, you'll quickly find what fits your own values.
The “organic illusion”
An honest look is part of it: not everything labelled “organic” actually contains what we hope for. Organic produce from a heated greenhouse or after long cold storage can have a worse ecological footprint than open-field vegetables from the region in the right season.
For me the answer isn't either-or, but the interplay: seasonal, regional and organic where possible. Anyone who stubbornly buys only regional risks high CO₂ loads from greenhouses in winter; anyone who blindly buys only organic overlooks the transport and the season. To shop consciously is to consider both.
My conscious shopping
Seasonal first
What the season yields in the open field usually has the best ecological footprint – and tastes the most intense.
Favour regional
Short distances, fresh produce, transparency: I know who grew it. Farmers' markets and farm shops make it easy.
Combine with organic
Seasonal and regional – and then ideally in organic quality, to protect soils, water and biodiversity.
Watch for associations
Demeter, Bioland or Naturland go beyond the legal minimum standard.
Waste less
The most sustainable thing is whatever doesn't end up in the bin: plan consciously, use up leftovers, judge quantities honestly.
Question for yourself
No dogma, but genuine curiosity: where does what I eat every day come from – and does it contain what I expect?
“Conscious consumption begins with a single question: where does this come from?”— Daria Czarlinska
Let's think it through together
If this topic moves you, I'd love to talk about it – in a single session, in coaching or at a retreat.
Get in touch