Reasons to Go Local!

   Today, I received my first delivery from an online farmer's market here in Austin called Greenling. Greenling is a small company that gathers fresh produce and other products from local farmers and businesses and delivers it directly to your doorstep! The local box is a selection of the best fruits and veggies from the farmer's harvest that week. This week's box included a huge watermelon, blueberries, squash (I got butternut but other varieties were given also), kale, Bibb lettuce, basil, pears, potatoes, and an ear of popcorn! Upon opening my green box full of goodies, I got to thinking just what is so special about buying locally grown and produced food.
   First off, local food looks and tastes better. Conventionally grown produce is picked way before the fruit or vegetable is fully ripe, that way it can be shipped to the stores and sold before going bad. Local food, however, is left to grow until fully ripe before harvesting. That way, your food matures properly and the flavor is at it's peak. Local food is also better nutritionally for you. The less time it takes to get from the farm to your table, the better the nutritional content. Conventionally grown produce is left to sit on trucks and in packing plants, losing vital life force as the days pass by.

   Buying locally also helps the economy in your community. You can put your dollars directly into independently owned businesses instead of the giant corporations. Supporting small, family run farms is so important now more than ever since these farms are slowly becoming extinct and replaced with large industrial agriculture.
   Local farmers are also less likely to use chemicals, pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, and genetically modified seeds. You can actually meet the farmer face to face and ask questions about your food too! You can buy your produce from a farmer's market, or if you're lucky, there might be something similar to Greenling in your area! I encourage everyone to support local businesses as much as they can! And as always, stay green and clean!!! :)

Greening your Groceries

A lot of the things we do daily are what contributes to waste the most, but can be easily "greened" to reduce your waste. Here are a few tips on what you can do with your groceries to make them more environmentally friendly.

Bring your own containers.
Did you know that 40% of the waste that goes into landfills each day is packaging that's only used once? It's common practice in many places now to bring your own tote bag to the store, but what about the plastic bags you put your produce in, the cardboard box and plastic for the pizza, the bags for your cheese? Find a store or local farmer's market that sells in bulk, and bag your own. Bulk is often far cheaper because you're not paying for the packaging, and you're not chucking needless waste when you get home. If you want to use a jar, weigh the jar at home or bring the jar to the customer service counter at the store and they'll weigh it for you, then tag your container to be used again and again. Cheesecloth, linen bags or drawstring lingerie bags work great for produce, cheese, nuts and grains.

Shop in season.
When you look for seasonal foods, you're also more likely to get local foods, which leaves less of a footprint from having to ship something from far away. Sites such as localharvest.org will tell you where to find local farmer's markets and co-ops, and apps such as Locavore will tell you what's in season now and for how long. Foods shipped from far away often require more care to stay fresh which may mean more packaging, more pesticides and more ripening agents.

When it seems too expensive, do it yourself.
Some specialty items at the store not only cost more but can put a big dent in your pocket. A bag of french fries can cost 4 times as much as a bag of potatoes, but all you have to do is peel and chop them and stick them in the oven with oil, salt and pepper to get the same thing for fresher. Pizza dough is just flour, salt and yeast and can be made with very little effort for less than a dollar per pizza! Have fun and learn something new, and skip the packaging at the same time.

Buying in bulk seems daunting, but it can actually simplify your food and your shopping experience. It may take a little more time, but you'll find it's worth the effort.