The popularity of Veganuary, Meatless Mondays and even National Vegetarian day is well known, with much of the media covering it and becoming trends on social media. However, Organic September has nowhere near as much cover (I also wish the name was a bit catchier, why they don’t use alliteration and go for ‘Organic October’ – ‘Orgtober’ – or ‘Natural November’ is beyond me).

As knowledge of our planet is growing, we have become more aware of how our lifestyle choices have wider implications, such as climate change, diet related health issues and decline in wildlife. Taking advantage of a captive audience during ‘Lockdown’, the media has increased its focus on this subject and in turn many people, with time on their hands, found themselves experimenting with different diets and meals. This has allowed them to follow an environmentally conscious diet.

A huge example of this was the success of Veganuary this year. Not only were many more people getting involved than in previous years, but also the ‘Veganuary effect’ which saw more vegan and plant-based options hitting supermarket shelves.

Organic September is a month-long campaign started by the Soil Association to raise awareness of the many benefits of organic food and farming, which include:

  1. Supporting biodiversity and wildlife
  2. Helping to combat climate change
  3. Higher welfare standards of farm animals
  4. Reduced exposure to pesticides
  5. Food as it should be, and food you can trust

But really, what exactly is organic, and why should we be getting involved?

Organic food is sourced from farms that work to a strict set of standards that not only benefits our planet, but also maintains local ecosystems and the people who live in them. So, let’s have a look at some quick-fire facts which show the benefits of going organic:

  • If Europe followed organic principles, emissions could drop by 40-50%
  • Organic soils are 25% more effective at storing carbon
  • There are 30% more species of wildlife on organic farms
  • For every 10% increase in bee-friendly habitats – like the 75% increase found on organic farms – bee numbers and diversity increase by over a third!
  • Organic milk and meat contain around 50% more beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids
  • Organically produced crops were found with up to 68% more antioxidants
  • The Soil Association has estimated if all UK farming resorted to organic methods, then at least 1.3 million tonnes of carbon would be captured by the soil each year. That’s like taking nearly 1 million cars off the road at once!

Sounds like we could really be helping the environment and our planet, right? This is especially good for those of us who would like to do more but struggle with giving up meat (me included!). Most of the time it is an easy switch to whip up a dish with organic food, so why not kick off with an easy one and make an organic roast dinner this Sunday? – It may be September already, but it is never too late!

We always love to see your creations, so if you get involved with Organic September, make sure to tag us on Twitter or Instagram @JellybeanAgency. And for more information and ways to get involved check out the Soil Association’s website:

www.soilassociation.org/take-action/organic-living/organic-september/