Buy organic, local and non-GMO? 9 popular practices that aren’t so eco-friendly after all

Farmers Market

We all care about the environment, at least a tiny bit. Many of us recycle all we can and own a reusable tote bag or 10. Some of us might opt for organics when given the choice, and take more and more ride-shares instead of driving in our personal vehicles. But these things we do with the best intentions, it turns out, can fall somewhere between not helpful and completely counterproductive. Here are some of the worst offenses — and how to avoid them.

Assuming Anything Vegan, Organic, Local or Non-GMO is Environmentally Innocent

Hey, almond milk drinkers: This one’s for you. A lot of environmentally conscious people will gravitate toward products with some sort of “green” labeling like vegan, organic or non-GMO. But these labels don’t guarantee the products are better for the environment than their conventional counterparts.

In some places, buying a local version of a product can reduce its environmental impact …. But this concept has diminishing returns, because of how super-efficient it is to ship things like produce in huge batches.

Worse, some people are so obsessed with “buying local” that “indoor farming” is becoming a thing …. They’re literally replacing free sunshine and rain with electric bulbs and water hoses.

Read the original post

{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.singularReviewCountLabel }}
{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.pluralReviewCountLabel }}
{{ options.labels.newReviewButton }}
{{ userData.canReview.message }}

Related Articles

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Does glyphosate—the world's most heavily-used herbicide—pose serious harm to humans? Is it carcinogenic? Those issues are of both legal and ...

Most Popular

Screenshot-2026-04-20-at-2.26.27-PM
Viewpoint — Food-fear world: The latest activist scientists campaign: Cancer-causing additives
Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-12.54.32-PM
How Utah became the country’s supplement capital  — and a haven for unregulated, ineffective and fake products
Screenshot-PM-24
Viewpoint: The herbicide glyphosate isn’t perfect. Banning it would be far worse.
Screenshot-2026-03-13-at-12.14.04-PM
The FDA wants to make many popular prescription drugs OTC—a great idea. Here’s why it’s unlikely to happen
Screenshot-2026-04-30-at-2.19.37-PM
5 myths about summer dehydration that could damage your health — or even kill you
Screenshot-2026-05-01-at-11.56.24-AM
‘Science moves forward when people are willing to think differently’: Memories of DNA maverick Craig Venter
ChatGPT-Image-Mar-27-2026-11_27_05-AM
The myths of “process”: What science says about the “dangers’ of synthetic products and ultra-processed foods
Drinking lots of water can help reduce the effects of aging
Nanoplastics in drinking water: MAHA activists forge science-based bipartisan coalition 
glp menu logo outlined

Get news on human & agricultural genetics and biotechnology delivered to your inbox.