Going local
"You can help save the environment with your spoon and fork. You can actually stop big-agribusiness and build a better world by eating right." This was a line in an ad for the upcoming 2013 Food Revolution Summit. Its from April 27-May 5. its online and free, and has a lot of interesting folks presenting.
I really liked the connection that statement made. Eat right (I would define this as eating local, organic, whole foods.) and you become healthier while at the same time supporting the local economy, making new friends and being part of the greater good.
My number one reason for eating mostly organic is that is is guaranteed non-genetically modified (GMO free), plus organic foods taste better and last longer. I believe organic can help those that eat them last longer too 🙂 There are deleterious effects from GM on not just insects and weeds but humans and the environment as a whole and I've read enough that I know I want to avoid foods with GM ingredients.
This is no easy thing when eating out. Just as one example, most likely the chips at Mexican restaurants in the US are all GM corn. The odds are some form of GM corn is in the fine print on any US - made packaged cracker or cookie that's not organic or certified GMO-free. What better reason to avoid all of this junk food!
State governments don't legislate controls that would at least require labeling, because of the powerful lobby from Big Agra. The Non-GMO Project is a voluntary program that provides labeling to show that manufacturers have verified that their products are GMO-free.
I love it when restaurants use locally grown vegetables! It would be great to have organic dishes on the menus. Even though it costs more, I for one would pay more for it at a restaurant. But .. most of the time we can be spending our food dollars with more awareness and creativity at a grocery store or farmers' market. We can be growing our own food and perfecting the slow food movement of home-made meals and simplicity.
Its time to get back to the garden. The Essiac herbs are part of an amazing range of foods you can grow, even if your garden is tiny and in containers. Guaranteed best produce: home-grown, or bought locally, GM-free and organic.
And so I say, find some Good Seeds and plant a garden! And support your local farmers' markets!
Coming next: Part 2 - Growing and Wildcrafting the Essiac herbs...Oh No Snow
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