When I first moved to northern California I became aware of the organic produce movement. The natural food store and the co-op had lots of organic fruits and veggies, as well as lots of organic processed food. I rarely bought any, as I was on a budget of $25/week and had to shop at the regular supermarket. However, once in a while I splurged in the organic section. I felt like I was doing something good for me and the environment.
Years later, after researching and studying in the fields of nutrition, chemistry, agriculture and pesticides, I still buy organic produce. No longer a starving student, I can afford to pay a little more for my groceries. I also am a big supporter of the organic farming movement, and at our farmer's market I always go to the organic farmer's booth first to see what goodies he has. However, I also buy a great deal of conventionally farmed produce as well. This is a conscious shift I have made as my awareness on this issue has broadened.
Nowadays, besides being concerned with pesticides in my food and running off into nearby ecosystems, I also think about how far my food had to travel to get to me. When I see organic apples from New Zealand in July at my local store, I think about all the fuel to fly it across the world and truck it to the market. To me, that is not sustainable. Instead, I would rather buy a locally grown fruit that is in season, even if it is not organic. A crop grown in its peak season will tend to taste better and require less fertilizer and pesticide. In addition, by buying at a farmer's market I increase my chances of buying from a small family farm. Farmers struggle to make a profit like any small business, and one way to increase profits is to cut costs by only applying the smallest amount of chemical fertilizers and pesticides as necessary to grow the crop. I also consult a list put out by the Environmental Working Group which lists the foods with the most pesticides, and I try to avoid buying those unless they are organic.
When shopping for food, my preferences for its origin are as follows: