Where and When did the Organic Revolution Begin?
After the Second World War ended, in 1946 the Soil Association began its mission on a single farm in Suffolk, England. Established by two sisters, Eve and Mary Balfour, the Association began its quest to manage agriculture in a more responsible manner. This was primarily to protect the health and well-being of future human generations, but also to try and reverse negative environmental impacts that the Second World War had on the physical landscape. During the intensive farming methods throughout the War, soils became less healthy and stripped of its natural nutrients; the Balfour sisters’ Soil Association highlighted the negative impacts of this way of farming, in a bid to find a more eco-friendly way forward.
Some of the negative impacts of intensive farming were:
- Exploitation and poor treatment of animals
- The loss of soil through erosion
- Decreased nutritional quality of produce
- Negative environmental impact on the countryside and wildlife
What does Organic Mean?
The Soil Association has developed significantly since the 1940s, to such an extent that it now supports and influences the UK Government on food, farming, and land use. The Soil Association sets out standards of Organic practice which are all based on internationally recognised principles so that the requirements can be easily understood and adhered to across the globe; Organic production methods are designed to be used in synergy with nature, not work against it like some more intense methods of farming.
The raw materials we use in our Organic products can be certified as Organic if they have been grown in soil that has had no prohibited substances applied for three years prior to harvest (these substances include most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides). When you choose Organic products to use on your body such as Essential Oils and Carrier Oils, you are essentially opting out of using man-made chemicals to grow the raw materials used in your skincare…It also means that you can rest assured that Genetically Engineered Organisms (GMOs) won’t be used in your products. Synthetic chemicals can deplete the soil nutrition, and only using Organic methods creates a healthier microbiology of the soil, therefore encouraging wildlife to grow and flourish in these rich surroundings – nutrient-rich soil is so important for the life and development of thousands of insects and plant species! Organically farmed land also remains fertile for generations, unlike the land used by industrial agriculture, which quickly becomes poor in quality and therefore cannot yield great quantities of healthy crops in the future.
How Choosing Organic Impacts Climate Change
Organic farming is so much better for the environment because its practice involves less pollution to soil, less soil erosion, and uses less energy. Excessive use and misuse of pesticides result in contamination of surrounding soil and can also result in pollution of water sources causing further harm to humans and wildlife. Healthy soils are one of our most important weapons in the fight against climate change as high-quality soil stores carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, absorbing it through photosynthesizing trees and plants, and storing it as soil carbon. So, in short, the richer and healthier the soil on our planet is, the more carbon dioxide it will absorb, which can only be a good thing! As we know, an excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere warms the planet, contributing to climate change.
Why Choosing Organic Can be Better for You Too!
Not only do they contain less harsh preservative chemicals, but Organic products are also more likely to contain higher quality natural alternatives which are great for your skin. Organic skin care products can sometimes be less likely to cause adverse skin reactions – if an allergic reaction does occur with the use of Organic products, it would be caused by a natural ingredient which could be easier to identify.
The representation of nature through natural fragrances found is our Organic Essential Oils can also make us feel closer to nature itself – synthetic fragrances can often smell nothing like the pure, natural versions, they might be overly sugary, have a strong alcohol content and can often be overpowered by other chemicals in the ingredient mix.
Why Buying Organic can Sometimes be more expensive, but at Less Cost to the Earth
Organic farming relies more on traditional tilling, planting and harvesting methods, which therefore results in higher labour costs, which is why Organic skin and beauty products might sometimes be a little more expensive. Sourcing and purchasing Organic growth enhancers for plants can also be more time consuming and costly than using synthetic alternatives, as well as soil testing and certifying processes which can all be time consuming and costly. A perfect example of this is our Organic Tea Tree Oil, which comes from several small producers around Byron Bay in Australia. Organic farming in this area reduces the producers’ options in terms of crop-disease-control, so it is not every plantation that can convert to Organic due to its complicated nature. Another example is our Organic High-Altitude Lavender from France which is grown following the traditional method required under the French ‘Appellation Origine Protégée’ (a similar body to UK’s Soil Association) which is a long, complicated process ensuring the absolute best quality of Lavender available.
To help you make some informed choices about choosing Organic, we have broken down a few simple facts into Pros and Cons, as all of this information can sometimes be overwhelming!
Pros
- More Environmentally Sustainable – soils will be fertile for generations to come
- Farming methods add rather than strip natural nutrients from soils
- No harm to wildlife
- No GMOs
- No Parabens
- No Synthetic Chemicals
- Reduces pollutants getting into our water cycle
Cons
- More expensive to produce
- Products can have shorter shelf lives due to no synthetic preservatives being used
- Can be harder to source Organic
- Time consuming to produce
At Absolute Aromas, we are always striving to keep expanding our Organic range and ingredients wherever we can. We currently have a large range of Organic choices from our Essential Oils to Floral Waters, Carrier Oils and Soap – why not check them out?
