Environment

Do you buy ‘local’ carrots from your supermarket?  Want to guess how many miles that the average  ‘local’ carrot travels to get to the supermarket shelves?  (Brace yourself – this is UGLY!)

1800 miles!!!

So much for lessening your carbon footprint by buying ‘locally’….

The truth of the matter is that, most times, you are only buying locally if you are going to local farmer’s markets or local farms.  Sad, but true!  We, as NC citizens, need to join the locavorism movement.  I am sure you are wondering what I am trying to get you into now~  Read on:

The term “locavore,” and the locavorism movement, are both comparatively recent. “Locavore” made its first appearance in 2005 and was designated the 2007 Word of the Year by the Oxford American Dictionary. As a movement, locavorism advocates a preference for local food for a variety of reasons, including:

• Local food travels much less distance to market than typical fresh or processed grocery store foods, therefore using less fuel and generating fewer greenhouse gases.
• Local food is fresher, and therefore healthier, spending less time in transit from farm to plate, and therefore losing fewer nutrients and incurring less spoilage.
• Local food encourages diversification of local agriculture, which reduces the reliance on monoculture — single crops grown over a wide area to the detriment of soils.
• Local food encourages the consumption of organic foods and reduces reliance on artificial fertilizers and pesticides.
• Local foods create local jobs by supporting family farms and the development of local food processing and distribution systems.
• Local foods create more vibrant communities by connecting people with the farmers and food producers who bring them healthy local foods.*

Need I say more?

The good news is that this is the time of year when buying locally becomes much easier as Farmer’s Markets and roadside fresh veggie/fruit stands crop up daily!  Better yet, grow your own!!! (see posts in ‘Gardening’ section of my site)  You don’t have to have a farm or acreage to grow your own veggies – trust me!

Come on, North Carolina!!!  Join Crazy Good Creations in supporting our local farmers, lowering our carbon footprint and improving our health by getting more nutrients from the foods we eat.

Buy locally – it is just that simple!!!!

*http://www.strollingoftheheifers.com/component/content/article/181-locavore-index-2012