Why Organic?

Organic is a word used to describe production processes and products in which no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides are used. Organic certification is offered by a large number of independent associations, each with their own certification guidelines. Common to all organic certifiers is the requirement of no use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. Most organic certifications also do not allow genetically modified crops. People choose to support organic agriculture for a variety of reasons, including their health, the environment, and compassion for animals.

Health Benefits
With respect to food, purchasing organic products ensures that harmful chemical residues are not ingested. Organic clothing and home items helps to protect those with chemical sensitivities from adverse reactions. Long-term studies often do not exist on how various agricultural chemicals affect human health, and many are known to be carcinogenic. While the label "non-GMO" (Genetically Modified Organism) is not synonymous with "organic", most certified organic products are also required to be non-GMO. Like many agricultural chemicals, no long-term studies exist to measure the human health impact of ingesting GMOs. Choosing organic is a safety measure to protect oneself from known carcinogens and the yet to be determined health impacts of consuming various chemicals and GMOs. Of course, those working on and living near chemical using farms pay the highest price. According to the National Cancer Institute, "[f]arming communities also often have higher rates of leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, soft tissue sarcomas, and cancers of the skin, lip, stomach, brain, and prostate."

Environmental Benefits
Chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides literally kill the natural nurturing qualities of soil. Often, agricultural chemicals are used to produce mono crops (singular species) in the same soil year-after-year, which in itself can turn once fertile soil into a wasteland. The use of agricultural chemicals is a vicious cycle, requiring more and more chemicals to be used in order to yield the same results over time. The immense quantities of chemicals used saturate the soil, seep into waterways, and drift in the air. Untold numbers of ecosystems are negatively affected—and sometimes destroyed—by exposure to agricultural chemicals. Genetically modified crops can have a similar impact on ecosystems, as most are engineered to be resistant to natural predators and negative environmental conditions, potentially resulting in an overabundance of unplanted crops (from seed blowing) and diminishing reproduction rates of predator animals and insects. Organic agriculture operates in harmony with nature, utilizing healthy crop rotations from year-to-year, and only natural fertilizers such as manure from organically fed animals. Choosing organic is an effective way to support sustainable farmers in their efforts to protect the environment.

Compassion for Animals
We share this world with over 2 Million animal species, and our decisions directly affect their environments and welfare. As harmful as agricultural chemicals are to humans, they are much worse for animals with smaller bodies and no ability to find refuge from the deluge of poison dumped onto them, their homes, and their food sources. Chemical pesticides, by their vary nature, are designed to kill animals. Birds, rabbits, rodents, deer, and all other wildlife are adversely affected by agricultural chemicals. And the effects are not localized; chemicals seep into waterways, killing fish and harming all animals near any downstream part of those waterways. Organic agriculture respects the natural environment in which the crops are being grown, and takes locally occurring predators into account when deciding which crops to grow. Choosing organic is a way of boycotting practices that harm animals.

It's not always easy to find organic alternatives for most products, but Downbound takes that responsibility on for you. We do the research to find the best organic products, and make them available to you 24/7 through our easy-to-use online shop.