What is Organic

What Is Organic?
Certified Organic products are grown and processed without the use of synthetic chemicals, fertilisers, or GMO's*(see definition below). It is an innovative method of farming and production and is increasingly being recognised as being on the leading edge of food and fibre technology into the future. Organics is not just chemical free by testing. It is about the way the product ingredients have been grown, prepared, processed and packaged. The whole system is linked in a completely natural way in which nature intended.

Do you ever wonder where all that lotion goes when you apply it to your skin? Your skin is the body's largest organ, it's a very sensitive, yet resilient type of living sponge. It soaks up what is applied to it, good, or bad. For the most part, you can rest assured, what you're probably applying to your skin is full of dangerous parabens and surfactants. Read the labels, and if you can't pronounce it, it's dangerous. Look at your shampoo labels: Do you see-Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate-Amonium Chloride-Cocamide MEA-PEG5-Tetrosodium EDTA-Propylene Glycol??? The list goes much further. These are all known cancer causing carcinogens. We put them in our hair, on our skin, and we do it on a daily basis. Who knows someone with cancer? Maybe you have had a brush with it, or a related illness. What type of household cleaners do you use? Do you breath them in, some even smell good, like all of the air-fresheners. Read the labels. Do they mention that breathing the ingredients can be harmful or fatal? There are over 10,000 chemical ingredients that are not required by law to be listed.

Sickness and cancers are the end result of the body's failure to cope with the endless applications and breathing of pollutants. Look at your toothpaste-your shaving cream-do you drink tap-water? You spend a lot of money every month on these poisonous products because they're advertised as "Fresh" "Clear" "All Natural" and S.C. Johnson and Co. calls themselves a family company. There's Dow chemical Group, Proctor and Gamble etc. They are publicly held companies aimed at making a profit to appease stockholders and company officers. Your long-term health is not one of their major concerns.
You have alternatives out there, you're already spending the money, you might as well direct it in a positive direction. Your health and wellness.


The Organic Movement
The organic movement began at the same time as industrialised agriculture. It evolved through the '50s and '60s with the launch of such books as " Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson, which exposed the toxic effects of pesticides through what is now termed bio-magnification; a process whereby synthetic chemicals used in agriculture magnify (increase in concentration) through the food-chain. During the '70s, the development of the organic market was stimulated by growing consumer interest in health and nutrition, as well as the increasing importance of preserving the natural environment. More recently, the movement has been given significant impetus by events such as outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalapathy (BSE or Mad Cow Disease) and the controversy surrounding Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), which have motivated people to search for healthy alternatives.
Booming, Ethical Industry

The organic industry has achieved compounded growth of 23% pa for seven consecutive years, while the natural and organic cosmetic sector grew by a massive 39% in 2001 alone. Organic Natural Enterprise Group leads the world in skin care by successfully developing a totally natural and legitimate organic range; the world's first certified organic skin and body care products. Recent market research has shown that consumer demand for organics is growing rapidly worldwide. The company, through its cutting-edge research and development, intends to progressively release dynamic, healthy, first-to-market innovations in the organic sector. Globally, sales in the personal care market, including natural personal care, reached USD$122 billion in 2000 and are growing 1.6%. In the USA, the entire Health and Beauty Care market is almost USD$40 billion and is expecting 3.4% annual growth. In contrast, the trend towards natural ingredients is running through every segment of personal care- with sales in the USA in this area reaching USD$1.56 billion in 2001 and growing at 10%. This segment is expected to grow 6%-7% annually over the next few years.
USA
Consumer sales of organic products in the US reached US$5.6 billion in 2000, a rise of 19% from 1999. If organics sustains this annual growth (and there is no indication it will not as sales in 2001 reached US$9.4 billion) the organic segment will be worth between US$13 - US$18 billion by 2005.
Europe
Research across seven European countries found that organic spending would nearly double over the next 5 years. By 2006, 58% of European consumers will choose to use organic products. During 2000, 29 million people in the UK said they had consumed organic food, a figure that represents almost half the population. There are 142 million consumers of organic food in Europe, showing that organic food has hit mainstream after many years in 'alternative' niche markets. The UK, which had organic sales of GBP 605 million in 2000 and is expected to reach GBP 1 billion by 2003 will continue to be the key market.
Japan
The Japanese are the largest per capita consumers of organics in the world and are substantial importers of organic consumer products. Japan had a national market value of US$1.5 billion in 1998 and has a current estimated value of US$3.2 billion. The majority of organic products in Japan are distributed through a 'tei-kei' arrangement, which is a type of cooperative.
"ONE Group plans to capture a significant share of this booming organic market over the next 3-5 years."

Don't look to your federal government to point you in the right direction, they're the ones who've allowed you to be poisoned all along. Knowledge is power.

To your health America!
Graham


gillfinn@onegroup.com