At Nat Expo West, organic eating is practically an imperative.

RODALE NEWS, ANAHEIM, CA—We all have to eat, right? So we might as well make a positive difference while we’re doing it. Two organic companies joined forces with Rodale and the Rodale Institute as part of the “Eat Like a Hero” campaign. The newly launched program was on display Thursday at the Fresh Ideas Group Marketplace in Anaheim, CA, preceding the huge Natural Products Expo West trade show.

THE DETAILS: When you buy one product from Nature’s Path, an organic cereal company, and one from Organic Valley, a dairy company, you’re eligible for a free 1-year subscription to Rodale’s Organic Gardening magazine. Nature’s Path and Organic Valley will also donate up to $50,000 to the Rodale Institute’s “Farmers Can Be Heroes” educational program. This will teach more farmers to protect the land while producing healthier food for us.

WHAT IT MEANS: Organic companies and nonprofits are starting to band together to raise awareness about the health benefits of sustainable food. They’re often up against huge agribusiness corporations, so a partnership like this is a way to pool resources and get their message into the mainstream.

Here’s why you should go organic for yourself and the planet:

• It’s healthy from the ground up. As Organic Valley farmer Ward Burroughs explains, organic farming nurtures the beneficial lifeforms in the soil. In turn, his cows eat grass on organically certified land—this means they’re not eating grain that’s been doused in pesticides, which can wind up in conventional cow's milk and dairy products. Organic cows aren’t given routine antibiotics or hormones, either.

• Organic farming is a major weapon against climate change. By keeping the soil healthy, organic agriculture preserves beneficial fungi that suck down carbon, keeping it out of the atmosphere where it contributes to global warming.