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Whole Foods Market Environmental Analysis

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In the last few years organic food has become more popular so much so that supermarkets are seeking out more products to put on their shelves. Whole Foods Market is a store that its entire food base products are dedicated to natural and organic foods. Organic foods popularity has increased from “1.6% in 2000 to 4% in 2010” (Dunn, Piotr, and Pawlewicz, Abstract, 2014) and continues to rise. The criticism about organic food is that it is more expensive to produce and uses more land and more workers to take care of the crops which in turn make organic food more expensive (Dunn et al., 2014). There are specific regulations one has to follow to farm organically (Dunn, et al., Abstract, 2014). Organic farmers have to use other means to get rid of …show more content…

“Organic farming can be seen as an approach to agriculture where the aim is to create integrated, humane, environmentally and economically sustainable production systems” (Thamsborg, 2002, pg.8). It is society’s responsibility to make sure that the land, animals and the whole ecosystem is maintained for future generations. By farming organic, farmers are making sure this is done. Organic farming uses less land and chemicals and relies on human ingenuity to keep the farm going as naturally as possible. “Organic farming is a production system which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetically compounded fertilizers; pesticides, growth regulator, and livestock feed additives” (Dunn et al., 2014, pg.56). Organic farmers use laborers to work the land to keep weed growth down and the farmers also use insects as stated above to keep plant eating insects from eating the vegetation. The chemicals used are used at a minimum and are ecofriendly. As a result of all of this, organic farming is thought of being healthier; therefore, the welfare of animals is taken into consideration as well. Organic farming has “a moral responsibility to farm in a way that makes the cultural landscape an integrated and positive part of nature” (Thamsborg, 2001, pg. 8). Organic farming, also restricts hormones and antibiotics from animals and they have open pastures and free range chickens (Dunn et al., 2014). Animals are used in organic farming for recycling manure and to build up the soil and to keep it fertile, along with crop rotation, and the right kind of tillage. All of these tactics insure the health of the environment, ecosystem and

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