Toxins in my Body or Emissions in the Air - Not a Simple Choice

As I continue my quest to eat local I am finding it difficult as a vegetarian to also eat organic during the middle of winter. When visiting a local health food store I asked about the source of the organic beans only to be shown that the labels from the bulk bags verified my worst fears: chick peas from Turkey, kidney beans and lentils from China and other beans from anywhere but Canada.

Now the choice becomes one of buying organic from some distant land to avoid eating pesticides or buying local to avoid poisoning the air with emissions. Or is that all there is to it? In a recent article in the US, about organic foods from China, it was found that even though it was labelled organic the fruits and vegetables often tested positive for pesticides. Organic scams are big business in China and one more reason to get to know your local farmer and buy not only organic but also buy local.

There are two very good reasons for buying local: it benefits the planet by not purchasing products that contribute to carbon dioxide levels in the air because they have travelled great distances and it supports local farming jobs. These farmers will, if the demand is there, switch to organic practices.

I would suggest we need to get to know and trust our farmers by going out and finding those local products that will feed our family without polluting the planet. In my selection criteria, I plan to make the choice first to buy local and second if possible to buy local organic. I hope you will consider doing the same. It is the only way to ensure a safe and reliable food supply in the future.

Being Vocal about Buying Local

Now that I have spent 25 days attempting to eat local it is time to be vocal about the experience.

First Lesson: Eating local is easier said than done. Try finding anything but carrots, potatoes, onions and cabbage at this time of year in our Canadian climate. Local acorn squash are hard to find although still available at the local farmer's market. Garlic on the other hand even from the farmer's market is sourced from China or some other offshore country. Although to counter this the seller's are advertising that the garlic is organic. Does this justify sourcing from another country?

Second lesson: Although the choices are limited, it makes meal planning extra simple and forces me to check out new recipes to use the few local vegetables that are still readily available.

Third Lesson: One needs to ask a lot of questions to drill down to the source of everything we buy. And often those who should be able to provide answers are more in the dark than we are. Pursuing the trail of truth about the source of food items is frustrating even for a committed environmentalist. But don't let that deter you from giving the relocalization effort a try.

A New Year's Challenge

Christmas presents can lead one to being the change they wish to see in the world. One of my Christmas gifts was a copy of the book The 100-Mile Diet. I read it before the end of Boxing Day. And being the take action, jump in with both feet, type of person that I am, starting today, January 1, I began the journey of someone living on a 100-Mile Diet. Shouldn't be too difficult, eh?

Oh wait a minute, I live in Canada - citrus fruits, pineapples, bananas, don't grow in my backyard and certainly not within 100 miles. Oh yes, I also am a vegetarian - much of my protein is from nuts, beans, cheese and eggs. Shouldn't be too bad except I am not sure the source of anything other than the cheese and eggs. And what about my morning coffee and afternoon tea, or late night hot chocolate? When was the last time you saw a coffee plantation in Canada?

Some good news though - there are wineries and breweries within the 100 miles so I may go hungry but I can still be happy.

Why not join me on this journey? We could commiserate about our loss of the more common food choices and celebrate the fact we are adding new choices to our diet while at the same time removing greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere and supporting local farmers by buying within the 100 mile limit. You never know a whole new economy may sprout up.

Here's to a healthier, happier more local 2010.