The Dangers of Industrial Culture
Dangerous pesticides are found in foods that thousands of Quebecers buy every day at the supermarket.
A number of studies establish the link between exposure to pesticides and certain diseases among
humans.
1.
The Canadian Cancer Society suggests minimizing our exposure to pesticides as much as possible. One
way to achieve that is to choose organic foods, even if it sometimes means paying a little more. Note
that a “natural” food is not necessarily organic.
The Health Benefits of Organic
To be certified organic in Quebec, foods must be produced without the use of pesticides, synthetic
fertilizers, or transgenic seeds. Is it enough to wash or peel fruits and vegetables to eliminate the health risks?
The answer is no. Although it is always better to wash fruits and vegetables in water to remove soluble
pesticides, many harmful residues remain. In addition, certain foods, such as strawberries or lettuce,
simply cannot be peeled.
2
LAs for foods from livestock, such as meat and eggs, certification assures you that no antibiotics or
growth hormones were used in the animal's feed.
In terms of processed foods, such as organically-certified pasta, you can be sure that they contain
neither artificial colours, nor flavours, nor synthetic additives. They are also free from synthetic
preservatives and were not subjected to irradiation for preservation.
1 Equiterre.org
2 http://www.fabqbio.ca/meganet/media/docs/fiche_3_pourquoi_manger_bio_quebecois.pdf
Where to Get Organic Food
A number of options are available to you. Our site, viandebioetnaturelle.com, gives you access to many
farms in your region, wherever you live in Quebec. It also gives you access to farms of the
Équiterre
Equiterre network, which offer a flexible formula and are all certified – or in the process of being certified -
organic. Just check the
Équiterre website for the nearest delivery point.
Another excellent way to control what you consume is to cultivate your own garden during the
summertime. It may be more difficult in an urban setting, but there are other interesting avenues, such
as urban greenhouses.
The first commercial rooftop greenhouse, Lufa, was established in Montreal in 2011; its mission is to
grow food in the most responsible way possible in the neighbourhood where people live. It is important
to underline that these farms are not certified organic because they use the hydroponics technique; at
the same time, they use no pesticides.
3.
Supermarkets also offer small, certified-organic sections. For more choice, there are specialty grocers
such as Rachelle-Bery (Montreal) or Le Crak (Quebec City). The advantage is that you can also buy
other organic products, such as laundry detergent or dish soap.
3http://www.lufa.com/fr/
