Have an organic Christmas and you'll have lots more to celebrate say the Soil Associaton (From Smallholder)

Have an organic Christmas and you'll have lots more to celebrate say the Soil Associaton

8:00pm Tuesday 30th November 2010 in News

Greening your Christmas does not have to be difficult or expensive – giving a bit more thought to how you source your food and your presents can help you save money, and have fun along the way!

So here are our ten top tips for enjoying a Christmas that is better for animal welfare, better for the environment and better for you….

1. CHRISTMAS CHEER THAT DOESN’T COST THE EARTH Organic farms have 50% more wildlife, support more and better farming jobs, and cause less pollution [1]. Organic farming is generally a more energy efficient system of food production, mainly because it does not use inorganic nitrogen fertiliser, which is produced from petro-chemicals. If all UK farmland was converted to organic farming, at least 3.2 million tonnes of carbon would be taken up by the soil each year - the equivalent of taking nearly 1 million cars off the road.

With 30% of an individual's carbon foot-print made up of their food choices, food is the single most important, everyday way for people to reduce their own environmental impact. Choosing the most climate-friendly food choices means supporting sustainable agriculture and buying organic, local and seasonal food.

Organic farmers use natural processes such as energy from the sun to fix nitrogen in the soil, crop and livestock rotations, natural predators for pest control and place a strong focus on animal welfare, which reduces the need for drug treatment.

Eating an organic diet on a budget is easy if you get creative in the kitchen and rethink your shopping list. A few of our top tips - Eat less meat, buy dried goods in bulk; make a shopping list to avoid waste and sign up to an organic box scheme.

2. CHRISTMAS DINNER – FILL UP ON THE GOOD STUFF From your roast potatoes and sprouts to the chocolate and mince pies, make sure your Christmas dinner is loaded with all the right nutrients.

Eating organically this Christmas means you can avoid consuming pesticide residues, GM ingredients or unnecessary food additives. Research from the Soil Association shows that 68 per cent of people in the UK want to avoid food grown with pesticides (over 300 are routinely used in non-organic farming, compared to only six allowed under Soil Association organic standards only in highly restricted circumstances. The average Cox’s apple may be sprayed 16 times with over 30 different pesticides and chemicals before it is harvested so if you’re cooking up a warming apple crumble for Christmas Eve, make sure you chose organic produce.

Artificial fertilisers used in non-organic farming increase the water content of vegetables, which depresses their nutritional content. A University of California Davies study found 79-97 per cent higher levels of flavonoids in organic tomatoes; the researchers stated that these antioxidants have been linked to reduced rates of cardiovascular disease, some forms of cancer and dementia.

Only 32 of the 300 food additives approved for use across the EU are permitted in organic food. Controversial additives like aspartame, tartrazine and hydrogenated fats which have been linked to health problems such as heart disease, migraines and hyperactivity, are banned in organic food. Choosing organic ingredients means you can relax and enjoy your Christmas meal knowing you aren’t harming your body with unwanted extras.

3. LET’S TALK TURKEY Ten million turkeys are sold in the UK each year, and of these, 90% are reared intensively, spending their short 15 week lives in windowless, crowded, barren sheds. If you want to be sure that yours had been fed a healthy diet, had access to the outdoors and is not from a factory farm, then look out for the Soil Association logo, as no system of farming has higher levels of animal welfare standards.

4. COCKTAIL ANYONE?

Your skin is the largest organ of your body and what you put on it can be absorbed in tiny amounts. The impact from the daily cocktail of substances that we put on the skin is only just beginning to be understood and while one product may contain very small amounts of some of these ingredients, it is the cumulative effect of applying various products regularly that causes concern. What's more, additives in toiletries can end up in the water systems and remain in the environment for some time.

Unfortunately, unlike organic food, there are no legal standards for organic beauty products. As a result, some companies choose to label a product as 'organic' even if it only contains 1% organic ingredients or if it contains potentially hazardous substances.

This is why we developed the Soil Association health and beauty standards, so you can look for the Soil Association symbol for your guarantee that the product has been checked and meets the strictest standards for organic purity and integrity.

Make sure the only cocktails you’re indulging in this Christmas are the martinis...

5. FESTIVE FASHION – BE SEEN TO BE GREEN Whether choosing a gift for friends and family or looking for something to snuggle up in – there’s never been a better time to make an organic addition to your wardrobe. The organic textiles market is booming with organic cotton growing on average 35% a year for the last 5 years.

Almost a quarter of all the world’s insecticides and 10% of pesticides are sprayed on cotton - organic fibres are grown without the use of harmful pesticides or GMOs; promoting a healthier farm and environment. Soil Association certified textiles do not allow harmful manufacturing chemicals in organic textile production; better for local wildlife, animals and people. Working conditions are good in organic textile factories, and organic fibre production can help farmers find a way out of poverty, and organic textiles don’t contain allergenic, carcinogenic or toxic chemical residues.

6. AVOID THE QUEUES THIS CHRISTMAS - VISIT YOUR LOCAL FARMERS’ MARKET, FARM SHOP OR JOIN AN ORGANIC BOX SCHEME Reconnect with the people who grow, make and supply your food – beating the Christmas rush and having fun along the way! If you don't have a local farm shop then order an organic box delivered straight to your door or pay a visit to your local farmers’ market. Farmers' markets are springing up across the UK so there is likely to be one near you, with hundreds of choices for your Christmas meat, veg, puddings, cakes and pies. In addition to all the yummy organic food, farmers' markets are a great place to find handmade and unique Christmas gifts, which support the local economy.

The Soil Association, in partnership with the Mid Wales Food and land Trust, is establishing farmers' markets in school playgrounds. This follows a successful pilot with three schools within the Shropshire hills last year and the experience of the Mid Wales Food and Land Trust in Wales over the last five years.

School farmers' markets provide an innovative way of creating new markets for local producers, as well as hands-on educational experiences for children. They provide new access to fresh local food for parents and the community, creating a new food culture and social interaction.

7. GET INTO THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT – WITHOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL HANG-OVER Indulge guilt-free with the huge range of organic wine, beers, ciders and spirits available, which are kinder to the planet and kinder to you. Opt for organic wine and not only will you be supporting a natural system of farming, you’ll also be consuming less sulphur - which appears to lessen the chances of a hangover.

If you’re more of lager drinker, be aware that the average non-organic farmer is estimated to spray hops up to 14 times each year with an average of 15 pesticides. Avoid these by looking for the Soil Association logo and be sure your pint has been produced organically.

Organic spirits are available through specialist suppliers and some supermarkets. The main difference lies in the use of organic raw materials; non-organic vodka is made from grain produced in systems usually reliant upon multiple applications of pesticides and artificial fertilisers.

8. A RESOLUTION YOU’LL WANT TO KEEP Make it your New Year’s resolution to join a buying group or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Project. Increasingly, consumers are recognising the impact their food choices have on the environment, communities, animal welfare, and their health, and more and more are seeking an alternative food culture that reconnects them with the land.

There are over 50 CSA projects operating in the UK now and an increasing number of organic buying groups, providing fresh, quality produce, including vegetables, fruit, cheese, milk, meat, eggs, bread and honey. By getting together in a group from your work place, neighbourhood, club or school, people can buy in bulk directly from farmers and receive fresh organic produce at a lower price, whilst farmers receive a secure market and fairer income. Many CSAs also enable and encourage people to get involved on the farm.

9. GOING BACK TO OUR ROOTS Learn about where your Christmas dinner comes from. Over 29% of UK adults have never set foot on a farm. Yet visiting one – even once – can be a life-changing experience. It highlights, vividly, the intimate links between food, health, farming and the environment. It helps people see how their food starts out and it demonstrates how we can choose to eat food that helps the environment rather than damages it.

The Soil Association has an extensive network of more than 100 farms across the UK who run special visits, open days and other public activities. New farms are joining all the time, and we have members who can show you everything from walled vegetable gardens to remote hill farms and even a vineyard [10]. Why not make a weekend of it? Soil Association certifies a range of accommodation, perfect for a Christmas or New Year break, many of which offer a delicious organic cooked breakfast.

10. FOOD FOR LIFE, NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS...

This year, give a gift that will continue making a difference long after the decorations have been boxed away. The Soil Association is a charity and relies on its members to continue its work. By giving the gift of membership, you will be helping us to continue the campaign for improved animal welfare, local food initiatives, an improved food culture in schools, and against GM crops and the cloning of farm animals. You’ll also be playing a part in safeguarding the future of organically and traditional farms by managing them in trust in perpetuity, organically and sustainably through the Land Trust scheme.

Your gift will include a welcome pack and membership card, entitling the recipient to year-round benefits including regular editions of their award winning magazine, Living Earth, fun and inspirational days out at events like the Organic Food Festival and the Real Food Show (free to members) discounts and special offers at organic outlets such as Planet Organic and much more. A year's membership costs £24 a year, or £33 for joint. For more details go to www.soilassociation.org Alternatively, give your friends and family the chance to learn a new skill they’ll really value, at our Organic Farm School. More and more, people are rediscovering the life-enriching importance of a closer connection with the soil. Our Organic Farm Schools have a number of courses from bee-keeping, chicken keeping, vegetable growing, willow weaving, hedge laying or dry stone walling based around the country. And, if you’re a Soil Association member, you’ll save 25%