Why don't you ask about organic food in the carbon footprint calculation?

illustration: wind turbines and solar panels

Some people wonder: why doesn't the carbon footprint calculator ask about organic food consumption? This is a legitimate question, as choosing **organic food **is often considered a significant step towards protecting the environment. To better understand this omission, it is essential to review the specific characteristics of organic products, the limitations of calculation methods, and the multitude of environmental issues associated with our food.

Organic food: too many different impacts for a single measurement

The main reason why the calculator does not differentiate between organic and conventional farming when calculating **greenhouse gas (GHG) **emissions is the **diversity **of agricultural products and practices. It is impossible to give a single, relevant estimate for "organic food" in general, because:

  • Not all products are equal in terms of carbon: producing tomatoes, cheese or meat using organic farming methods does not involve the same processes or the same emissions.
  • Organic farming practices vary greatly: climate, soil type, crop rotation, irrigation, farm size, source of inputs, etc. It is impossible to summarise everything in a single rule or coefficient.
  • Organic farming practices do not necessarily translate into a reduction in associated greenhouse gas emissions.
    **As a result, adjusting the carbon footprint calculation based on a single question about whether or not to buy organic products is not possible **and could mislead users about the reality of their impact.

Why should this not discourage people from eating organic?

The fact that the tool only focuses on carbon emissions is a deliberate methodological bias: the calculator aims to measure this specific item because it is the easiest to quantify and compare, and because it allows us to objectively assess the contribution to the fight against climate change.
But eating organic still has many advantages!
Beyond the carbon angle alone, organic food provides:

  • Less soil and water pollution: organic farming prohibits most pesticides and chemical fertilisers, thereby reducing diffuse pollution that is toxic to ecosystems.
  • Preservation of biodiversity: organic farmland is home to more pollinators, birds, soil life and wild plants thanks to more gentle land management.
  • Less impact on health: eating organic reduces exposure to pesticide residues and limits health risks for people working in the sector, particularly farmers.
  • Respect for animal welfare: organic livestock farming specifications generally impose more stringent standards .
    Even if **the carbon footprint **is not necessarily lower in all cases for organic farming (e.g. lower yields, greater traction or surface area requirements for certain products), the **benefits in terms of other environmental **and health **issues **are very real.

Carbon impact: one indicator, but not the only one!

It is therefore important to take a step back from a purely "carbon" view of environmental issues.
The calculator focuses 100% on greenhouse gases because: