Granny's Apples vs. Granny Smith's Apples
Jan 25/09
You don't have to be a farmer to support sustainable food practices.
The world is gradually becoming more aware of human impact on the environment. Individuals, small companies, organizations, and international corporations are all responsible for reducing their environmental impact however possible. Education is also pivotal in adding momentum to green initiatives. Most importantly, each individual could contribute to the global green effort and the local economy by carefully selecting the location of its vendors.
Shipping food long distances from other countries puts money into foreign economies, when it could be supporting local farmers. By choosing local produce whenever possible, you can boost the local economy and build better social networks in the community. Furthermore, you can support the green effort by buying food from small, organic farmers, who cannot afford to ship their products elsewhere. By purchasing food locally, more money stays in the local economy, which in turn means that more money can be put back into the local economy. YES Magazine's Winter 2007 Edition refers to this as the "ripple effect", estimating that for every $1 spent at a local business, 45 cents are reinvested locally, compared to 15 cents reinvested from a corporate chain. Negotiating trade with the local farmers also means that social ties will be created between farmers and the community. Many channels of communication within an economy make each sector more in-tune with the other's needs, which also leads to a stronger economy. As a result, the local economy would benefit if more people purchased more food from local vendors.
Purchasing food locally improves consumer health by providing fresher produce to consumers. Because local food can be bought and consumed within days of leaving the ground, the flavour and nutrients are more potent. Transported food, say an apple, tastes much blander after being shipped for weeks from South Africa, rather than picked and eaten directly from a local orchard. In Waterloo Region, you can buy locally from the St. Jacob's Farmers Market, or pick up a map that shows local participating farms. Local fruits and vegetables are full of flavour compared to the imported grocery store counterparts. Most people prefer food that tastes fresher and gives them noticeably more energy and nutrients; another reason why buying local is a great decision.
Transportation is a significant source of air pollution in Canada, and importing foreign foods produces high levels of carbon emissions. By choosing local food, you can help the environment by lessening the carbon imprint caused by food transportation. Marc Xuerub, the Public Health Planner for the Region of Waterloo, estimates in his 2005 report Food Miles that the top 60 most commonly eaten foods travel an average of 4500 km to Waterloo Region, producing 51 700 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. Furthermore, all of these foods can be grown within the Region. Even if all of these foods were purchased from farmers within South-Western Ontario, carbon emissions could be reduced by 49 490 tonnes. It is important for everyone in the community to help reduce Waterloo's carbon emissions by buying locally.
Some argue that the emissions created by growing exotic produce in expensive local greenhouses outweighs the emissions created by transporting exotic goods from a country where they can be grown easily. Hence, it is more desirable to transport the goods than purchase them locally. First, it isn't feasible to try growing every type of crop in any climate. Buying locally doesn't mean you cannot buy anything foreign. It simply means you give preference to locally grown food (i.e. choosing an Ontario tomato over a Mexican tomato), and substitute local, seasonal produce for foreign, non-seasonal produce whenever possible. Additionally, exotic produce is purchased in a minority, so shipping a small amount of exotic produce is much less important importing large amounts of produce that is grown locally.
Buying local produce can have tremendous positive effects to the local economy, health, and environment. By choosing local produce whenever possible, you can aid the local economy and build better social networks. You can improve your health by consuming fresher produce with a higher nutrient content. You can help the environment by lessening the greenhouse gases caused by food transportation.
Shipping food long distances from other countries puts money into foreign economies, when it could be supporting local farmers. By choosing local produce whenever possible, you can boost the local economy and build better social networks in the community. Furthermore, you can support the green effort by buying food from small, organic farmers, who cannot afford to ship their products elsewhere. By purchasing food locally, more money stays in the local economy, which in turn means that more money can be put back into the local economy. YES Magazine's Winter 2007 Edition refers to this as the "ripple effect", estimating that for every $1 spent at a local business, 45 cents are reinvested locally, compared to 15 cents reinvested from a corporate chain. Negotiating trade with the local farmers also means that social ties will be created between farmers and the community. Many channels of communication within an economy make each sector more in-tune with the other's needs, which also leads to a stronger economy. As a result, the local economy would benefit if more people purchased more food from local vendors.
Purchasing food locally improves consumer health by providing fresher produce to consumers. Because local food can be bought and consumed within days of leaving the ground, the flavour and nutrients are more potent. Transported food, say an apple, tastes much blander after being shipped for weeks from South Africa, rather than picked and eaten directly from a local orchard. In Waterloo Region, you can buy locally from the St. Jacob's Farmers Market, or pick up a map that shows local participating farms. Local fruits and vegetables are full of flavour compared to the imported grocery store counterparts. Most people prefer food that tastes fresher and gives them noticeably more energy and nutrients; another reason why buying local is a great decision.
Transportation is a significant source of air pollution in Canada, and importing foreign foods produces high levels of carbon emissions. By choosing local food, you can help the environment by lessening the carbon imprint caused by food transportation. Marc Xuerub, the Public Health Planner for the Region of Waterloo, estimates in his 2005 report Food Miles that the top 60 most commonly eaten foods travel an average of 4500 km to Waterloo Region, producing 51 700 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. Furthermore, all of these foods can be grown within the Region. Even if all of these foods were purchased from farmers within South-Western Ontario, carbon emissions could be reduced by 49 490 tonnes. It is important for everyone in the community to help reduce Waterloo's carbon emissions by buying locally.
Some argue that the emissions created by growing exotic produce in expensive local greenhouses outweighs the emissions created by transporting exotic goods from a country where they can be grown easily. Hence, it is more desirable to transport the goods than purchase them locally. First, it isn't feasible to try growing every type of crop in any climate. Buying locally doesn't mean you cannot buy anything foreign. It simply means you give preference to locally grown food (i.e. choosing an Ontario tomato over a Mexican tomato), and substitute local, seasonal produce for foreign, non-seasonal produce whenever possible. Additionally, exotic produce is purchased in a minority, so shipping a small amount of exotic produce is much less important importing large amounts of produce that is grown locally.
Buying local produce can have tremendous positive effects to the local economy, health, and environment. By choosing local produce whenever possible, you can aid the local economy and build better social networks. You can improve your health by consuming fresher produce with a higher nutrient content. You can help the environment by lessening the greenhouse gases caused by food transportation.
Comments
Leave a Comment