Organics

Choosing organics whenever you can is a wise move for your personal health. But it also helps others - growers, people who get their drinking water from aquifers near farms, wildlife and insects, and animals raised for meat, eggs, or milk. (For instance, children raised where pesticides are used are more than 6 times as likely to develop leukemia.)

And let's not forget climate change. Synthetic fertilizers used in conventional farming generate tons of green house gas (especially nitrogen, hundreds of times more potent than carbon dioxide), while sustainable farming methods are vastly better.

Confused by Food Labels?

The USDA explains it seal of approval for "farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations." Meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products must come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. And, "Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation."
Only after the farmer (and food processor, for prepared or packaged foods) is inspected and certified as meeting national standards may the official government label be placed on a food item.

Pesticides in Vegetables and Fruits

If you have to choose conventional produce sometimes, it's good to know which types matter most.
The Environmental Working Group did an exhaustive study, and created its "Dirty Dozen" list of the 12 fruits and vegetables that give you the highest pesticide exposures:
1. Peaches
2. Apples
3 -12. sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, pears, spinach, and potatoes.

The full report and complete list of 43 are available at EWG's food site. 

Organic Milk and Dairy Products

Cows given rBST or rBGH, hormones that makes them produce more milk, are generally not treated as well as ones who spend more time in the pasture and less hooked to milking machines. 
Whether you are concerned about the health effects of eating hormones with your dairy products, or you care about the cows' health and quality of life, either looking for the USDA label or an "rbst free" statement on the label will assist you.
When I shop, I look first for the Humane Society's "Free Farmed" label, then an official USDA seal, and then a hormone-free statement.

Organic Meat (Beef, Pork, Lamb, Chicken)

Again, the USDA label suggests more humane conditions, but does not guarantee it.
The American Humane Society's farm animal campaign does a great job explaining what the various popular terms (free-range, cage-free, etc) actually mean.
I try to buy from farms I am familiar with, whose practices are very clear.

Other Key Products

Cotton
Conventionally grown cotton requires a quarter of all the insecticides used worldwide, and ten percent of all the pesticides.
Seven of the most commonly applied synthetic chemicals are known or suspected carcinogens (cancer causing). And the cotton in just one t-shirt takes about a third of a pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to grow.
Fortunately, organic cotton production is growing yearly, along with demand.
This is still an expensive way to vote with your dollars - but it's an important way to make a difference as a consumer, if you can.

Organic Coffee
Here's a luxury (or is it a necessity?) you can now find in nearly every town and store. And if you can't, you can order it online.
Many varities are also shade-grown and fair trade, making them a triple-win.

Bodycare Products
Because your skin absorbs any product you put on it, you should be confident that your lotions and make-up don't contain petro-chemicals, synthetic fragrances, and other potentially harmful ingredients. In the European Union, consumers are protected by safety regulations; in the US they are not.

Organic Baby Products

Babies are especially sensitive to toxins, since they are growing so rapidly. This makes our choices about their baby food, soaps, lotions, and even clothing and diapers very important to their health. 

Shopping on a Budget