According to the Organic Trade Association, organic farming releases fewer greenhouse-gas emissions into the air than conventional farming and uses 50 percent less energy. This makes eating organic a good way to shed CO₂ pounds, as well as a better direction for the agricultural industry. In addition, organic farms that are smaller-scale, less mechanized, and more biodiverse have been shown to use 60 percent less fossil fuel per unit of food than conventional industrial farms. And organic farming further reduces greenhouse-gas emissions by avoiding synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.