Have you ever wondered what the difference is between organic and non-organic food? Some might say there is no difference in the food itself, but the real difference lies in the means of producing the food. The controversy here concerns the environmental effects of different farming methods. Some believe that organic farming methods are better than conventional farming methods and others believe the opposite. There are many factors to determine which method is best, but we are here to investigate the environmental aspect of the issue. In short, organic farming is a cultivation method in which the techniques used are less harmful to the environment since they do not use synthetic chemical fertilizers and herbicides and limit the amount of pesticides. Conventional agriculture is the farming method that uses synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides to ensure the production of higher yielding crops. Conventional farmers often use genetically mutated seeds to reduce the cost of chemical pesticides and increase the size of the fruit harvested. There are many pros and cons on both sides of this issue, but after doing some research I will say that I believe organic farming is definitely the way to go. Consuming the products derived from the methods used is not only good for personal health, but is also less harmful to the environment in many ways. First, let's look at the big picture and motivations behind each type of farming methods. In the book Organic Foods by Debra A. Miller, it is stated that “organic farming is perhaps best understood by comparing it to conventional farming, which is the method used to produce the vast majority of foods found in local supermarkets and consumed by most part of the Americans. and... middle of paper... organic farming is the way to go even if it costs more time and money to maintain a better environment for all of us. Works Cited Dimbleby, Jonathan. "Organic farming is good for the environment." Environmental conservation. Ed. Debra Miller, John Woodward and Jennifer L. Skancke. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Current Controversies. Rpt. from "Down on the Farm". The Ecologist 3 (February 2001): 44. Gale Opposing views in context. Network. June 1, 2012. Miller, Debra A. Organic Foods. Farmington Hills, MI: Lucent 2008 PrintSinger, Peter and Jim Mason. “Organically produced food improves human, animal and environmental health.” Food. Ed. Jan Grover. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Current Controversies. Rpt. from "Why buy organic?" The way we eat: why our food choices matter. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 2006. Gale Opposing Views in Context. Network. June 1st 2012