Is organic really worth it?

Everything around us seems to be headed in an organic and sustainable direction.  Grocery stores like Wegmans now carry a variety of organic products as far as milk, fruits, and vegetables.  Fashion is also taking the hint.  I hear buzz of eco friendly fashion collections hitting the runway constantly now.  The downside is the price rises substantially with these eco friendly products.

The question is how are people responding to it and is it really worth it?  Your budget might not be able to pay for everything organic, so maybe try some specific items.  Even though we wash our fruits and vegetables they still contain some pesticide, scary thought, huh?  Milk and some fruit items like apples, grapes, blueberries (because you eat the skin) are best to buy.

What organic means:

• Animals have not been treated with: antibiotics, growth hormones, or feed made from animal byproducts.
• Animals must have been fed organic feed for at least a year.
• Animals must have access to the outdoors.
• Food hasn't been genetically modified or irradiated.
• Fertilizer does not contain sewage sludge or synthetic ingredients.
• Produce hasn't been contaminated with synthetic chemicals used as pesticides.

What the labels mean:

• “100% Organic”: Product must contain 100 percent organic ingredients.
• “Organic”: At least 95 percent of ingredients are organically produced.
• “Made with Organic Ingredients”: At least 70 percent of ingredients are organic. The remaining 30 percent must come from the USDA’s approved list.
• “Free-range” or “Free-roaming”: Misleading term applied to chicken, eggs and other meat. The animal did not necessarily spend a good portion of its life outdoors. The rule states only that outdoor access be made available for “an undetermined period each day.” U.S. government standards are weak in this area.
• “Natural” or “All Natural”: Does not mean organic. There is no standard definition for this term except with meat and poultry products. (USDA defines “natural” as not containing any artificial flavoring, colors, chemical preservatives, or synthetic ingredients). The claim is not verified. The producer or manufacturer alone decides whether to use it.(sited from http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/13737389)

 Thinking about this..it's no wonder we get sick with various diseases and cancers.  Pesticides may not be the main cause, but they definitely can't be helpful to our bodies.  Did you read the recent article about how 7 year old girls are now hitting puberty?  What will happen to their bodies throughout their life after going through puberty so early?

I'm curious to purchase some bamboo fabric to experiment with it and see how it feels and how the dyes react to this material.  I also want to buy some organic groceries and see how they taste.  Are you willing to pay higher prices to help the environment and possibly your health?