Gone are the days of small local markets and the farmers that supplied them for centuries. Along with the tremendous growth in population has come the increased demand for feeding this massive population, this situation has bred a society that produces massive amounts of food constantly. So with most things in life when you stretch to produce more quantity your quality decreases dramatically. In this situation we are talking about our food supply. One thing we can do when it comes to being Green about the way we eat is start by making a good choice with where we shop and spend our money. Being that money talks, we must take caution and responsibility when we even choose where we shop. We live in an area where it is very easy to get farm fresh produce, it is plentiful and delicious and right at our fingertips. We can also still get fresh local farm raised meats and dairy products. In order to restore the balance of destroying the planet by mass-producing all of our produce and livestock we must go back to basics. Some choices we can make in going back to basics would include shopping at local farmer’s markets, getting involved in co-ops, shopping at stores like Whole Foods, and Elliot’s, Sunrise Natural Foods that carry a variety of local produce and livestock. Going Local is very important in Going Green.
We must realize a very important step often overlooked when thinking about Nutrition and Health, that everything ultimately comes down to choices. Living a “Green” lifestyle is no exception. Many of us go through the day filled with so many thoughts and responsibilities. Such as work kids and family, we often forget the important choices we make each and everyday that could be having a negative effect on the planet we so desperately depend on. There are two ways this can greatly affect us in a negative way. First off it can be detrimental to your overall health and well being by eating very poor quality foods that are highly processed and void of any true nutritional value. These foods create a negative effect on your health as well as your waste line. Second it will also create an environment that forces you to make choices that effect the environment negatively as well. By making choices based on convenience we are saying we do not care about how my choices are effecting the environment I live in. This is where the Green living movement has come in. My interpretation of living Green is not only making powerful decisions to do what is best for the planet but for our own health as well. These two are directly interconnected to say the least. When we make a decision to buy Biodynamic or Organic produce or meats, we are doing much more than making a decision to buy something that is simply more expensive.
My hope is that after you read this article you begin to acknowledge the many different sides and aspects to the choices we make everyday and how they affect the planet as well as your own health. When you spend you hard-earned dollars in the local community you are creating a positive change, by telling the large conventional farmers that you do not support what they are doing to the planet and therefore are not going to spend your money on there products. It is the same concept as the fast food industry that makes billions per year off of people who are making poor choices about there own health as well as the health of the planet. If we simply stopped going to these places they would not make the money they do and therefore would go out of business. This is what we need to do on a local front, to ensure we do not loose the valuable resource of local farm fresh raised produce and livestock. It is a very important concept to keep your money in your own community as well and not support other countries before we support our own local community. This is something we have become disconnected with and can make a huge difference in bringing us all together as a community.
Also when you purchase local produce and livestock you cut down on precious fuel used to transport these products. Whether the oranges are coming from Florida or the bananas are coming from Mexico or Peru. We must take time to think of the fuel that is used to transport these products to us. Also we have to think of freshness of these products. Rule to remember, buy as local as you can when you can and support your local farmers. You will also make a great step in your health by eating a variety of fresh local foods that are in season. Something all of us could do to improve our health. It is a win-win for the environment your health and the community. To find local growers in your area go to: www.biodynamics.com, www.edc-farmtrails.org, www.california-grown.com for times and locations of local farmers markets. To find local farmers for fresh free-range meats and dairy visit www.eatwild.com. For Seafood visit www.vitalchoice.com.
One other subject that is on everyone else’s mind and is very popular is Organic produce and Meats/ Dairy. Organic has swept the country in the same way all natural swept the country in the 80’s. To understand the meaning of Organic we first must define the meaning. ORGANIC: involving the use of food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides
If we are thinking in terms of ourselves and the planet, this would be a much better alternative. The second most important thing to remember when purchasing foods is that just because it is labeled Organic do not automatically assume it is the best thing for you. They make everything Organic because they know it is popular and you will pay more for it. Do not be fooled Organic Mac N’ Cheese is still Mac N’ Cheese and Organic Chocolate Cookie are the same as non- Organic other than the ingredients is cleaner. Do not get sucked into the trap of marketing and gimmicks that put you buying foods that are not good for you in the first place and you are now convinced they are now good because of labeling.
We still have a long way to go do to our inability to connect ourselves as individuals to the problems and issues at hand. It is important to take a few moments to think about what the lasting affect of the choices and decisions we are currently making will produce in the future. This is something we must all learn to do. We have a disconnection between what we do vs. what is actually happening to the planet as well as each other’s health. But everyday we make choices and decisions that are creating large negative & positive impacts on our planet. What choices are you making? What we do with our choices everyday says a lot about if we are doing all we can do to preserve the future of our planet and truly live a Green and Healthy Lifestyle. Work on shopping local as much as possible. Do a bit of research and footwork to help yourself as well as others. It is very easy once you learn where to shop in you area as well as what to shop for that has less effect on the environment.
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