Tuesday, December 04, 2012
Eat LOCAL
ID: 10092275 COMS 369 L03
“Organic”
“Gluten free”
“No-GMO”
“Sugar free”
“Fat free”
“Natural”
“No artificial flavors”
“Organic”
“Gluten free”
“No-GMO”
“Sugar free”
“Fat free”
“Natural”
“No artificial flavors”
Ohh, I am a sucker for these common slogans found all over the grocery store.
I am a student, I’m busy, and I don’t have time to research what is going into
my food and where it is coming from. Thank goodness it is stated right on the
package! But do we really know where
our food is coming from? Can we trust
the claims made on food packaging? The sad truth is no. This was a recent realization to me.
I
never looked too deep into what I was consuming until I discovered the truth
just a few years ago. I grew up on a little acreage outside of the city. My mom
and dad had a garden that produced fresh foods. Farming is something that runs
in my family. My grandfather and grandmother worked and lived on a large farm
their entire lives. When I moved out on my own years ago, food never tasted the
same. I was living in a different city and the one thing I missed most was that
fresh food from home. I couldn’t help but question why the tomato I bought in
the store tasted nothing like the tomatoes we grew. I then started to be more
conscience of where I was getting my food. That’s when such labels like
“Organic,” “No GMO” and so on began to play a large roll in my food selection.
I was happy with this switch, but frankly I couldn’t afford to be shopping at
specialty food stores. As a student funds can be tough.
I
began to do some research… A lot of these so-called Organic farms don’t follow
any guidelines, and it is hard to say how much nutrition is left in the
imported food. Further more, the high costs of these foods are because of
shipping and importing. What I concluded from my research is that I needed to
start eating from the garden again… the food is organic, no-GMO, no added
sugar, natural and no artificial flavors (these are words I can really trust).
And best of all the food is affordable. This is why eating local is the way to go!
Now
that you understand why eating local is a great choice for me, I’ll give you
some reasons why it is good for you and everyone collectively. Not
all of us have time grow our own food (although it really isn’t hard, but we
will leave that for another discussion). The great fact is there are people in
our communities that do grow food and are trying to sell it to us! Yes we live
in a cold climate, but in the city of Calgary there are multiple farmers
markets and small groceries that are selling food grown in this very city. Here
is what I consider the top 5 reasons to choose local:
1.
Local foods taste better: After being trucked or flown from thousands of
kilometers away, sealed in plastic, food loses its fresh taste. Local food
comes from the ground and onto your plate; it is fresh and tastes fresh. In addition
eating locally means eating seasonally, which will give one the sense of
appreciation for the food.
2. Local foods
have less environmental impact: Large
factories that require a huge consumption of energy to wash and package food is
only one part of the environmental impact caused in the food industry. How
about the large carbon footprint created by shipping all these foods? Studies
have shown that has a huge impact (Calverley, 2007). We also see pesticides, herbicides, and so on being sprayed
into the air and all over the foods we consume. This ties in and relates with genetically
modified organisms (GMO’s), which are taking over the natural DNA makeup of
plant life. Eating locally takes away all of theses environmentally dangerous impacts.
In fact, supporting local farms is supporting local green space around your
community!
3. Local foods
support your local economy: With the
money spent on local farmers and growers we are working towards building a
local economy. Restaurants, for example, that use local foods can build a
bigger profit. Because the food moves through fewer hands, the money spent goes
more into the hands of the people growing it. This information can be seen in
the Local and Regional Food Economies in
Canada: Status Report (Chinnakonda, 2007). Most local farmers
practice social justice in their business, paying their workers a fair wage.
4. Local foods
are promoting food safety: This one
is obvious, with less moving around for your food from the ground to the table,
we will see less contamination. Knowing where your food comes from allows you
to be more aware for any outbreaks and scares that may arise.
5. Local foods
create community: This has to be the
most important reason to me. Knowing where your food is coming from gives a
close connection to the individuals who are growing and farming it. This gives
you a sense of appreciation for the food we are so privileged to have access
to. Creating a close community also promotes more interested in the food and
products that we consume. And in some, can spark an interest in learning more
about farming whether it is urban gardening or starting a farm.
Eating local has been the
best switch in my life. I believe that everyone can join this amazing movement
creating a health and happy community in Calgary and beyond!
Calgary is a great place to
start eating local. For more information take the time to view some of the
following links:
Where to find local food?
How to start growing local
food in Calgary?
For even more information on
eating local please see the following sources:
Calverley, D.
(2007). Keeping food local. Nursing Standard, Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=28be1db4-b9e5-4dd5-a016-b3a4448611a7@sessionmgr4&vid=2&hid=14
Chinnakonda,
D. (2007). Local and regional food economies in canada: Status report.
Retrieved from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website: http://site.ebrary.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/lib/ucalgary/docDetail.action?docID=10213138
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