First, it’s been a busy week with school getting back into full swing but things are starting to equalize again. I will say that God has truly been especially close to me these past couple of week…which I am very thankful for.

That said…let’s talk about a word that is getting out of control lately. It came up this week as I was building a salad at work on the salad bar. Nothing spectacular…just your average salad with the typical salad topping options. That’s when I saw it and had to shake my head once again. It was a sign over one of the topping options that said:

Organic Carrots

OUT…OF…CON…TROL! Can someone please tell me what an “Inorganic Carrot” is…and would you eat it if you were offered it? Aren’t ALL carrots organic? I think this is one of the dumbest language changes we’ve seen in a while…and I think it’s stupid. I know it’s cliché but here’s the dictionary definition of the word organic: “of, relating to, or containing carbon compounds”. That pretty much covers every single item on the salad bar!

But the word is changing thanks to marketing (a stupid reason to change the meaning of a word!). It’s coming to mean “untouched or pure”. For produce that means it’s grown with no man-made fertilizers or chemicals. It even has a growing meaning outside of produce or other food items…another example of the definition getting out of control.

Here’s the example I’ve been hearing lately: “We need to develop this plan organically…just let it develop on its own without too much outside influence.” Its not that I disagree with the new meanings but we are starting to dilute our language so much that you never know what someone really means.

And no…I don’t really care if my carrots or other food is grown with or without pesticides, antibiotics, or fertilizers. It’s all “organic” and I can’t stand paying more for something that is using LESS to make or grow it. That doesn’t make sense! So just like wanting to outlaw pennies…any time I see these “Organic X” signs I think I’ll just pass.

But that’s just me…getting off my soapbox now!