Would You Like to Live in the First Organic City?
The word Organic is widely used today, but it is not what one can consider an “old” word.
When one uses the word organic it describes produce that has been grown naturally, no man-made chemicals are used. The term “organic farming” was first used by Lord Northbourne in 1940.
Harvest from your organic garden image, Sofia Hdez
The Lord Northbourne’s book
Lord Northbourne (1896-1982) was a man of exceptional vision. In the 1940s he diagnosed our society as being sick, which cause was the severance of its organic links with the wholeness of life.
In his book “Look to the Land“, he describes a holistic, ecologically balanced approach to farming.
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The beginning of the organic movement.
In 1840 Justus Von Liebig developed a theory of mineral plant nutrition. He believed one could substitute manure with a mixture of certain mineral salts. The early 1900s was the beginning of industrial agriculture and that is how the organic movement started. Rudolf Steiner held the first organic agriculture course to a group of over 100 farmers in Koberwitz in Poland.
Silent Spring is a must read
In 1962, Rachel Carson, a well-known scientist, and naturalist published the famous book “Silent Spring”. This book drew attention to the devastating effects DDT and other pesticides had on the environment. The US banned DDT in 1972.
They formed groups in various countries like Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. In 1972, all these countries formed the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)
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My organic farm
I live in the south of Spain, in a 180-year-old farmhouse with a nice plot of land. In 1981, when I moved in, I really did not understand much about the dangers of pesticides. I had to make my personal experience with Monsanto’s product Roundup.
After having used it on the weeds which were growing on the cobblestones, sweeping 3 weeks later, the fish started dying in the fishpond. That was the moment I decided to never use harmful things on my property anymore.
My neighbor with his avocados has also gone organic. I now feel happy knowing my crops will not harm nature anymore. Each person can decide if they want to live the organic way. You only buy organic produce and if you have a garden, you only use natural products. You create your own little world, but what happens with your immediate surroundings?
Happy Chicken image MickyPe
An organic city is born
Some cheerful news has come my way. The first organic city in the US was born.
It is Portland in Maine. It has taken the city two-and-a-half years of heated discussions to now have finally come to this decision. Portland bans all toxic pesticides from their lands, be it private or public.
The ordinance is one of the strongest of its kind in the US. Some 28 jurisdictions in Maine have made similar decisions to ban pesticides, but the one voted in Portland is the most comprehensive and strongest.
Your pets in a clean environment image Rihaij
Roundup and its dangers
Perhaps you ask yourself what will be the benefit of living in a pesticide-free city. The World Health Organization stated back in 2015 that Roundup which contains glyphosate, was dubbed a “probable carcinogen” product.
Monsanto is the producer of this awful product which is being used worldwide. The company is aware for a long time already that glyphosate can be linked to various cancers like prostate cancer, bladder cancer, brain tumors, lung cancer, and the list goes on. Since 2015 over 800 people have filed suit against Monsanto.
Little girl enjoying nature image Jill Wellington
To live in an organic city will have many benefits
The air you breathe and the ground your children play on will be clean. The water you drink will also be cleaner. You can walk with your pets and if they nibble a bit of green here and there, you know it will not harm them. All this will benefit your health.
The total city will be a haven for insects, butterflies, small animals, and birds, nature will regain its balance and you will be able to enjoy a toxic-free environment. I hope, with Portland as the example, many more cities will follow worldwide.
An afterthought
Luckily there are many movements worldwide to make our planet a better and healthier place to live. On the other side, there are also destructive forces at work trying to destroy our environment. We only have this planet to live on. Future generations also need a home. Let us join forces to protect this home.
Before you leave, you might like to have a look at Recommendations. It is a special page I have made for you that holds a collection of interesting things.
Source: NaturalHealth365
Photo Source: Pixabay.
I decided to go green in 1981 after causing a disaster on my farm. It was my ignorance, and the lesson was hard and an eyeopener. If you wish you can read about my personal experience with Roundup.
Comments
Ernest
Thank you for these short on some excellent books. It does seem that we spend far too much inside not focusing on what we do to our environment.
A lot of pesticides and other quick fixes such as DDT are motivated by laziness in my opinion. People don’t want to spend the time to actually protect their livestock and plants. They look for quick solutions. This is the reason we must pay more for organic solutions.
Taetske
Good evening Ernest,
Thank you for visiting my site and reading my post on the first Organic City in the U.S. I can tell you I was very happy to read about this. I hope a lot of other cities will follow Portlands example. Many little bits will create a big whole, the cleaner we live the better.
Regards, Taetske
Danny
This city sounds like the start of a utopia, I’m just sad that it didn’t happen first in California, being that I live there. But I am proud that it has happened in a city in America and this is exactly what we need for the world as a whole. A living, working example of how to properly coexist with Earth. The Earth takes care of us and if we would like to be taken care of we need to continue to grow in our relationship with our home. This was a great article and something I am all for!
Thanks
Taetske
Good afternoon Danny,
Thank you for leaving a comment on my post. It is nice to meet a person who also shows interest in taking care of Mother Earth. I am afraid, looking at the actual situation of the US, not too many more organic cities will be “born”. Too many people who are only interested in what they can get out of our Planet instead of thinking about the consequences of their actions. Future generations will be sorry if we do not care. I try my best living on my organic farm in the south of Spain. My neigbours are also organic with their avocado plantations. All in all a little paradise, I hope it will last.
Regards, Taetske
Sujandar Mahesan
Nowadays people use so many artificial manure and stuff for their farming and they don’t understand how much it affects our mother land. This article shows that how much we can benefit from organic farming and what are the benefits of organic farming. Thank you so much for sharing this article with us.
Taetske
Good Morning Sujandar,
People always try to improve on nature when nature has it organized so well. As we think we know it better often a big mess is the result. With our action, we cause imbalance and harm our environment. The news of the first organic city is really very good news. I hope many will follow.
Thank you for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?
Regards, Taetske
Eric
I knew Roundup was said to be harmful but always thought as long as it stays outside, it can’t hurt me or my family. I can’t believe it killed your fish! That’s pretty bad stuff. I have two dogs and two children. I’m going to stop using it. What do you currently do about weeds? Is there a natural profit you can use or do I have to go old fashioned and pull them by hand?
Look to the Land looks like a good read. Maybe I’ll start reading there. Thanks!
Taetske
Good Morning Eric,
To stop using Roundup is a great idea. It is harmful to your family and also to your pets. Monsanto has recently lost their first court case and was condemned to pay, I think it was, $78.million to Mr.. Johnson who is dying from cancer. He sprayed Roundup for more than 20 years on the school grounds where he worked.
On my orange field of 1000 square meters with 100 trees we plow the weeds in, this provides food for the trees. Fresh weeds also go to the happy chicken who love it. For the rest, it is pulled or hacked, good for you waistline.
On my website, you will find more posts on Monsanto and Roundup.
Thank you for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?
Regards, Taetske
Holly
Wow, an organic city…that’s amazing! Your farm in southern Spain sounds absolutely beautiful, too.
We are taking measures to choose more organic products when possible. I’m so glad that in recent years they are starting to become more affordable because it is hard for many people to choose healthier and safer products when their budget is tight.
Since I live in the suburbs and do not have much land (nor a great growing climate–long winters!) I am starting to get more into hydroponics growing. I’ve started already with just enough for my family, but it is a dream to grow so much that I’m able to bless family and friends with it, too, or perhaps sell it.
Taetske
Good Morning Holly,
Thank you for your visit to my website and your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?
To buy organic is, in most cases, a bit more expensive. But you buy real food. The nutrients within are more and better than in other foods so actually, you need to eat less. On the long run, your health will thank you.
That is a great idea to use hydroponics for growing food. If you lack space many things will grow very well vertically. Wishing you success with your budding business.
Regards, Taetske
Chrissie Spurgeon
I love the idea of an Organic City, and I completely agree with you that this should be the pattern for the rest of the world.
Personally, I hate chemical pesticides – there is always an organic alternative, and like you I always try to find one.
The human race has abused this beautiful world so much, and we all need to work together to put this right as much as we possibly can if we want our planet to continue to sustain life. I think that many people do not realise the urgency of this, but we have been told that if we do not drastically change our ways then our world as we know it will not exist in just 100 year! Everyone needs to realise this and we all need to work together and each do our bit to save the planet.
Thank you so much for bringing our attention to this.
Chrissie 🙂
Taetske
Good Morning Chrissie,
Yes, I know the clock is ticking and we do not have any time left to lose. With going organic like this first city one purifies the air we all need to live. Instead of cutting trees we should plant them. I talk about all these types of things on my 2 websites, the more I investigate the more worried I get. Luckily one also comes across positive news but it does not outweigh yet the bad one.
Many organizations and people on a personal level are doing their best to save the environment but the battle is hard as the opponents are big money hungry companies who do not care about our health and neither if in the future we will have a habitable planet.
Thank you for leaving a comment on my post. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?
Regards, Taetske
Paul
I am so excited after reading your article! I hope your passion about the first organic city spreads exponentially and we can have the first organic country.
I love the real life examples you provide about the dangers caused by Roundup. Unfortunately Roundup is not the only bad product that Monasanto produces and there are many more Monsantos that need to be held accountable.
Your efforts are setting a great example that I hope many others will follow!
Thank you
Taetske
Good afternoon Paul,
Thank you for visiting my website and leaving a comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?
Yes, I am aware that Roundup is not the only creation of Monsanto, they have more on their conscious and their history is long a dark. On my other website Healthyantiagingalternatives I have a category called: Corporate Malfeasance, a nice collection of their evil deeds.
We are responsible for our health. Do not think your government, Big Pharma, and food companies care, they do not. That is why one has to be informed about all these kind of things to be able to make the right decisions in life.
Regards, Taetske
Nuttanee
It is time for me to visit Maine, not just only to go there for lobsters anymore but this time is to check it out. It is amazing to hear that Portland is going organic. One step at a time and we will all be organic soon. I live in NYC, there are many stores that carry organic products, and also there is a poo up farmer’s market around my neighborhood as well. I always try to support them. The sad thing that I heard was not that many farmers, even though they are organic, cannot afford to be certified organic. Whenever I get a chance, I always support local farmers. Thank you for an informative post and a little history lesson. I hope every city and towns turn organic soon.
Taetske
Good afternoon Nuttanee,
Nice to see you again. Thank you for your visit and leaving a comment.
I also hope that this good example of Portland going organic will be followed by many cities in the near future.
I have 100 orange trees on my farm and since 1981 I am organic. The leaves from the garden together with the weeds are plowed in so to provide nourishment and better the soil. I know that to be able to officially sell my harvest as organic I would have to pay $600 each year to get a certification, that is not really worthwhile. I will continue selling the oranges to my friends and eating them myself, by the way, they taste delicious. As the fruit is organic I use the peel for orange marmalade which also tastes very good.
Regards, Taetske
Sondra M
Taetske, the idea of an organic city is very interesting and inspiring. Even though I live in the US, I was not aware that Portland, Maine is now designated as an organic city. It will be very interesting watching their progress and how they learn to control weeds and pests on a large scale over time.
That general region of the US has some farms that are beyond organic, in that they have chosen to exceed the requirements that the USDA requires for organic certification. I’ve been impressed with the way they have been able to improve their pastures.
Granted, living organically is not always easy. That is why industry developed the pesticides and chemical fertilizers. But, I think living organically has got to be more healthy.
Taetske
Good afternoon Sondra,
The problem with pesticides and chemical fertilizers is that it is not natural and for sure not apt for human consumption. When the fields are sprayed, the workmen wear protective clothing and masks. The question arises why do they need to protect themselves when Monsanto has always proclaimed Roundup is safe?
The sad thing is that money comes before health. Our health is of no interest. The sicker the nation is the more it generates money. Be informed of what you put into your mouth. Take the advertisements, not with a grain but a pound of salt.
Monsanto has already lost its first court case, thousand more will follow.
Buying organic food gives you more nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. You will be healthier and do not have to worry with what poison your food has been sprayed.
Thank you for your visit and your comment.
Regards, Taetske
Nuttanee
Thank you so much for sharing about this organic city! Finally, slowly but surely we are stepping to the right direction and do less harm to our mother earth. The dioxin is real and it is contaminating our food supplies.
Anyways, I would love to live in an organic city! I am sure all my health problems will slowly disappear. I heave never heard of Lord Northbourne’s book, Look to The Land, before but would love to check it out. I will check out Silent Spring as well. Oh wow, you made a right decision of the fish die what will it do to us? It is great that your neighbor is organic as well.
I love that Maine start doing something about it. I live in NY, hopefully we will follow Maine footsteps.
Taetske
Good Morning Nuttanee,
Nice to see you again and thank you for your comment. You remember you can download a free PDF of your choice? Tulip widget in the sidebar.
When I read about the first organic city some years ago, it thrilled me. Having had my experience with pesticides, I realized how beneficial a clean environment will be for the population. These past years I have come across positive news and sadly also worrying news. It depends where you live and what leader you have chosen. I firmly believe we create most illnesses, and it started when we turned away from nature.
Regards, Taetske