Organic food is more environmentally friendly than non-organic food

International researchers at Chalmers University of Technology analyzed the impact of producing organic food and conventional foods in the climate.

The team found that organic crops produce much less, mainly because chemical fertilizers are not used to boost crops. As a result, to produce the same amount of organic food as conventional crops, much more land is needed.

However, this study concluded that organic food has a greater impact on the climate than conventional food, due to the extra carbon dioxide emissions produced by the required deforestation, resulting from less organic production efficient.

“Increased land use in organic agriculture indirectly leads to greater carbon dioxide emissions. carbon, thanks to deforestation," said Stefan Wirsenius, one of the authors of the study, in a statement to press.

In the study published in the journal Nature, the team found that peas grown organically in Sweden have a 50% greater impact on the climate than those grown using conventional methods. For other foods, there was an even greater difference, with wheat having a 70% greater impact.

"This is a big oversight because, as our study shows, this effect can be much greater than the effects of greenhouse gases."

The team says the findings also apply to organic meat production, such as organic dairy cows fed organic grains. You can check out the full study clicking here (in English).