Think Globally, Eat Locally

When I started doing research for possible topics to explore for The Forecast, I was initially overwhelmed by the shear number of green-related topics I thought were important. Reducing our dependence on non-renewable resources, combating global climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, saving our collapsing fisheries, invasive species and habitat destruction threatening habitats and species with extinction: so many of the environmental challenges we face are global in scale that it’s easy to feel powerless as an individual person. The idea that each of us has an ecological footprint left behind by our activities and consumption habits is gaining validity among sustainability proponents. But how can an individual reduce his or her ecological footprint?

Our culture of consumption has resulted in Americans having the largest ecological footprint of any people in the world. It seems to me that the first step toward sustainability is for each of us to start making more conscious choices as consumers, being thoughtful about the things we buy and more importantly the things that we decide not to buy. One way to do that is by thinking about the food we buy and where it comes from. I was shocked to read that the food we eat in the United States now travels an average of 1,500 miles before we eat it. That’s a long road trip, especially with gas at over $4 per gallon (and fossil fuels are also consumed at virtually every other step of the process: 17% of our nation’s energy is used to grow food and more energy is consumed during food processing, packaging, warehousing, and refrigeration). Because of skyrocketing oil prices, consumers are paying more for their food because it costs so much these days to get it to the store.

In order to live a more sustainable existence we need to drastically reduce the number of “food miles” our food travels, which means eating foods produced locally. This, of course, probably rules out 95% of the food most Americans eat, most of which is derived from genetically modified corn, grain or soy grown on corporate farms. I try to be a thoughtful consumer, buying more organic and fair-trade foods whenever possible, but when I started reading the labels I realized that my organic produce came from South America, my coffee came from Mexico, and most pre-packed foods travel from all parts of the country to my town in Northern California. In fact it’s pretty hard to put together a meal that hasn’t been to more countries than most world travelers. So, I wondered if it was even possible for a person to eat local foods and not starve to death. If you could actually pull it off, would it even make a difference in your ecological footprint? According to author Barbara Kingsolver’s book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, if every U.S. citizen are just one meal a week composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, our country would use 1.1 million fewer barrels of oil per week. A growing movement of people calling themselves locavores says it can make a huge difference to the environment and our health while also helping the local economy. I think you’d call that a win-win-win situation for pretty much everyone, except, perhaps, for the large corporations that control the food industry in the U.S.

Kingsolver says eating local can also help protect the world from widespread crop failures due to global climate change. But I thought modern agriculture was responsible for unprecedented food abundance? That may be true, but today 75% of the world’s food comes from less than ten crop species, grown in large monocultures by corporate farms. This loss of genetic diversity in our food supply makes us extremely vulnerable to global climate change. Kingsolver warns that “history has regularly proven it drastically unwise for a population to depend on just a few varieties for the majority of its sustenance”. Remember what happened in Ireland because they only grew one type of potato? Having more diverse food resources is what “stands between us and catastrophic starvation on a scale we cannot imagine… The line between abundance and disaster is becoming thinner and thinner”, says plant geneticist Jack Harlan.

The best way to protect our food supply is by keeping it more diverse. Humans have eaten over 80,000 different plant species throughout our short history on the planet. Until the mid 19th century most people ate plants and animals that were adapted to their local environment and climate. Farmers in every region would generally grow many varieties of crops each adapted to the local climate, so that in a bad year they didn’t starve. Over the years, farmers developed thousands of heirloom plants and animals each with their own unique characteristics, such as drought tolerance or pest resistance. In contrast, modern-day large corporate farms grow food that has been bred specifically so that it can be machine-harvested, packaged conveniently and travel long-distances without spoiling. The grocery stores only want perfect looking produce and, as a result of the need to travel so far and still look perfect, the fruits and vegetables sold there represent only 1% of the varieties that were once grown in the U.S just a century ago. But those heirloom varieties can still be found a the local farmer’s market, and supporting local agriculture helps insure that don’t become reliant on only 10 crops species. Those small, local farmers may hold an important piece of the puzzle in securing our food supply and helping Americans reduce their ecological footprint.

So how do you become a locavore? Challenge yourself to eat within your foodshed for one month. Figure out your foodshed by drawing a circle within a 100-mile radius of where you live and plan your meals around things you can buy locally.

Here are ten tips to get you started:

1. Educate yourself about what you’re eating. The more processed the food, the more oil it took to make it. Think about where your food or the ingredients in your food (if it’s highly processed) came from and how much oil it took to make. Start to read the packaging carefully and learn what the ingredients are made from. Avoid products with ingredients that are derived from corn and soy, as these crops rely heavily on petroleum based fertilizers and pesticides. For more info read The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan.

2. Buy organic. Conventional agriculture relies heavily on petroleum based fertilizers and pesticides, so buy organic whenever possible. Try to avoid highly processed organic foods and organic produce that is not local or in season.

3. Shop the local farmer’s market or join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). At a certified Farmer’s Market, you buy your produce directly from the farmer, and most vendors are happy to answer any questions you have about their growing practices. In addition to produce, you can usually find grass-fed organic meat, chicken, and eggs, as well as cheese. Farmer’s Markets are popping up all across the country, as are CSA’s (programs that deliver produce directly from the farm to the consumer). Find farmer’s markets and CSA’s at Local Harvest, where you can search for local and sustainably grown food anywhere in the U.S.

4. Eat fruits and vegetables only when they are in season (locally). In the U.S. we really have no concept of what is in season anymore. Most produce at the supermarket comes from far away and is sold year round (not when the produce is in season), and, if it’s non-organic, relies heavily on petroleum based fertilizers and pesticides. Buy local organic produce, only when it is in season. By shopping the farmer’s market, you can plan your meals around what you can buy locally and in season, enjoying produce that is tastier and more nutritious because it is local and in season. To re-educate yourself about when different fruits and vegetables come into season, check out Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver to learn more.

5. Buy organic non-CAFO grass-fed meat, chicken and eggs. Most meat, chicken, and eggs come from animals not raised on farms, but at concentrated animals feeding operations (CAFO’s). There they are fed corn feed, which is hard to digest and makes them sick, so they need tons on antibiotics and growth hormones. In contrast, grass-fed meat and poultry are fed a more natural and diverse diet, and are healthier to eat. They are also usually from smaller farms, and are only available locally. You can find grass-fed meat at some health food stores and farmer’s markets. For more about the health and ecological benefits of grass-fed meat, visit Eat Wild.

6. Buy organic dairy products. Dairy cows also come from CAFO’s, and the close living quarter’s means they are fed loads of antibiotics and growth hormones to prevent diseases from spreading throughout the feedlots and dairies.

7. Grow your own. Many vegetables and herbs can be grown in containers or gardens, so pretty much anyone can grow a few things themselves with minimal effort. Growing your own food gives you a closer connection to our food chain. It is also the freshest and tastiest produce you will ever taste, and used little or no oil to produce.

8. Lobby the supermarket to buy locally. Ask the supermarket manager to offer a larger selection of local organic produce, and grass-fed meat, chicken and dairy. They will listen if enough customers ask for them!

9. Buy locally produced foods. If you can’t find locally grown, find local businesses like bakeries and coffee roasteries to support.

10. Eat at restaurants that support local farmers. Some restaurants actually make an effort to but food from local farmers, so ask the server if any menu items feature local ingredients.