Eat Local, Think Global
Organic eating took on a wave of popularity in late 90’s. Today, the new rage is The 100-Mile Diet. Ever heard of it? For some, the idea is simple. It’s a lifestyle that requires you to eat locally grown food from within a 100-mile radius of your home, it allows you to connect with your local farmers, the seasons, and the landscape in which you live.
Did you know that our food travels an average of 1,500 miles before we buy it at the supermarket? Many of us don’t even realize the impact this has on our environment, our health, and our local economy. The extreme distance our food is traveling is attributing negatively towards air pollution and global warming. This long-distance, large-scale transportation of food consumes large quantities of fossil fuels. Not to mention, in order to transport food long distances, a high amount of pesticides, irradiation and preservatives are processed within the food to keep it “fresh” while in transport. And also, since the food is picked days or even weeks before its ripened, it carries a lower nutritional value. No, we’re not done. By eating food that comes from the United States, Mexico or Spain, we are supporting their economy while neglecting our own. Ok wait – we understand people’s lives are busy and that we all have grown accustomed to the one-stop-shopping centers, and the last thing on anyone’s mind is, ‘Where was this chicken raised?’, or ‘Where was this peach grown?’ But, the benefits of eating locally really do outweigh the effort its takes to adapt to this lifestyle. Take a look:
Top 5 Reasons to Eat Local Food:
1. Local food is fresher because it has longer to ripen. If you purchase your produce at supermarket or a big-box store it has often been in transit for days or weeks. Because of the time it takes to get to the supermarket, produce has to be picked before it is fully ripened to stand up to the rigors of shipping. Additionally, much of this food is thought to “ripen” it after transport. Purchases made at your local farmers market have often been picked within the past 24 hours. This freshness positively affects the taste and nutritional value of your food.
2. Eating local food is better for the local economy. The New Economics Foundation in London completed a study that “a dollar spent locally generates twice as much income for the local economy”
3. Eating local food is better for the environment than eating organically. Organic food often travels thousands of miles to get to our plates. The Food Policy journal found that this creates environmental damage that outweighs the benefits of eating organically. As well, food that travels farther is more susceptible to bioterrorism or harmful contamination. Furthermore, more and more local food is becoming organic as it is grown hydroponically.
4. Eating local food keeps us in touch with the seasons. Eating food that is in season allows us to enjoy food at it’s peak taste, when it is most abundant and the least expensive.
5. Eating locally supports responsible land development. Economically, it allows farmers and pastures to stay open and underdeveloped.
This list as taken from www.eatlocalchallenge.com
The idea is to transform the community from the mindless grocery shopper to the environmental conscious consumer. Is that too much to ask? Just take a walk around the Danforth area and you’ll find an array of Farmer’s Market’s and Butcher’s shops that support our local farmers. You might think this “diet” is a lot to take on, but the rules are up to you. The extent to how much you want to eat locally is something you can play and have fun with. Whether its your just your produce, meats, or dairy or taking on the full-blown diet, the choice is yours.
This is a video of John Bagnulo, a nutritional specialist, speaking about eating locally. Although he is from Maine, the same benefits apply to your local environment.
For a first hand account of eating locally pick up the book The 100-Mile Diet; A Year of Eating Locally by A. Smith and J.B. MacKinnon. These Vancouverans turned to their local farmers to take on this challenge!
