Shop local
By choosing local produce, you support local farmers, local stores, local economies, and sustainability! Local produce doesn't have to travel as far to reach your store, therefore you can get very fresh produce, with more varieties, that has had more time to grow and become delicious and nutritious. Less travel distance also means less fuel is consumed, so the environmental impact is minimized. Of course, products such as bananas and pineapple cannot be grown locally, but when the choice is there — such as between grapes grown locally versus those trucked from across the country — the best choice for everyone is the local product. Choosing local also keeps us in touch with the seasons: when in season, foods taste their best and are the least expensive. Visit
eatlocal.org and
eatlocalchallenge.com for more reasons to
eat local.
Shop organic
When the choice is there, be good to yourself! Choose organic products. Organic produce has a higher nutritional value because it is grown with organic, rather than chemical, fertilizers, and the plants are supplied with all their required nutrients. Organic foods are also grown without pesticides (carcinogens), and are not genetically-modified. You may find the organic produce is either the same price, or only slightly more expensive.
This is seldom the case with supermarkets! Find a farmer's market — often they are year-round. Their prices are generally lower across the board when it comes to fresh produce, and the quality is often higher. You're also likely to find local produce.
Environmentally-friendly choices
It is most environmentally-friendly and healthy to make product choices in this order: Local organic, local conventional, non-local organic, non-local conventional.
Grow your own
Growing your own fruits or vegetables doesn't have to require a front yard. Even the smallest outdoor patio can accomodate a tomato plant or two. Visit
Seeds of Change for some great how-tos.
