The Dust Bowl of the 1930's is the perfect example of why growing organic and sustainability in general is important. During this time, farmers were planing their crops at full capacity, and all the time - never allowing the soil to regenerate. They were using slash and burn practices, which reaked havoc on the soil and eco-system. Why was this done? Most efficient, more yield, less time working, larger profit. We now understand that these types of farming practices are harmful, unfortunately, so many people lost so much in learning this lesson.
Why organic?
"Many people are aware that food grown according to organic principles is free from exposure to harmful herbicides and pesticides, but that is only one small aspect of organic agriculture. A larger part of organic agriculture involves the health of the soil and the ecosystem in which crops and livestock are raised. Organic farmers recognize that healthy, vibrant, and live soils and ecosystems significantly benefit crops. Natural, undisturbed soil is alive with microbiotic organisms that exist in harmony with the native plant life and the inorganic minerals that provide the soil's substrate.
Synthetic chemicals (such as herbicides, pesticides, and/or fast acting inorganic fertilizers) applied in or around crops interrupt or destroy the microbiotic activity in the soil. Once the microbiotic activity in the soil has stopped, the soil becomes merely an anchor for plant material. In this conventional method of agriculture (in use for only the past 75 of 10,000 years of recorded agriculture) plants can receive only air, water, and sunlight from their environment -- everything else must be distributed to plants by farmers, often from inputs transported thousands of miles to reach the farm. Plants are commonly fed only the most basic elements of plant life and so are dependent on the farmer to fight nature's challenges, e.g. pests, disease, and drought."
-Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association http://www.mofga.org/tabid/166/Default.aspx
