Want to eat good and save the planet? Here’s how:

I feel quite fortunate to live in a small rural community, as opposed to a large urban center.  Not only is any place in town a comfortable walking distance from home, but it also has an amazing friendly and neighbourly atmosphere to it.  You can’t go anywhere, at any time of day here, without a smile or hello … idle conversations pop up between complete strangers with great ease.

But ultimately, I am excited about the things this town has to offer people in terms of reducing their carbon footprint while feeding their families and households.

For those that need to visit the grocery store, as I mentioned before, its within close walking distance.  And since neighbours are so friendly here, its not uncommon to have a neighbour ask you if you need anything in town before heading out.  This helps eliminate, or at least decrease vehicle emissions.  Unlike in larger cities, most driveways here always have a car parked – rarely is a driveway empty.

What I love the most here though, happens once a week irregardless of the weather.  The Farmer’s Market.  Every Wednesday in this town, the entire community it seems gathers behind city hall to purchase their fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy products, plants and flowers, etc … No more than 15 vendors here but its enough to get anything you want.  Its a very friendly atmosphere and a place where people often just gather to chat and meet up with friends.  Everyone knows each other … and all the vendors seem to know what you are coming to buy before you get to their table.  Service you just don’t find at a major grocery chain.

So how does a Farmer’s Market help reduce my carbon footprint left behind on the planet?

1. I purchase my food from local growers/farmers.  The food is not shipped/trucked in from across the country – its grown locally and transported into town in the back of a small pickup truck.

2. I know the farmers and will purchase from those that do not use heavy pesticides and herbicides etc …

3. No preservatives are sprayed on the foods to make them survive a long, arduous trip to market from miles away.

4. I can purchase my eggs and dairy products from farmers that practice free-roaming rearing of their animals as opposed to animals that are caged up in industrial settings with no chance to live out a “normal” existence.

5. I can get fresh bread made locally with locally grown ingredients. Even the honey and jams are all made locally, with local ingredients.

6. To get everything I need to feed my family, I do not have to travel from store to store – I simply have to walk from table to table.

7. I get to stock up on fruits/vegetables that are in season so I do not support importers in the off-season for many of these goods (goods that would have to rely on shipping etc …)

8. I save money!  There are amazing deals to be found and the money saved, can be used to purchase other goods that help to keep our planet clean and green (as sometimes eco-friendly household products/vehicles etc … do cost more).

9. I am provided with a chance to visit with people that may live farther away … ie not within walking distance.  So now I don’t have to drive to visit friends – we can arrange to meet at the market and nibble on some fresh produce.

10. Packaging, packaging, packaging.  There is no excess packaging here!  You can pick your produce from the table and put it right into your reusable shopping bag … no plastic bags around my vegetables, no ties around my breads etc … And if you don’t have a bag with you, the farmers will let you use one of their reusable baskets to carry your goods home in – you just bring it back to them the next week.  No more unecessary plastic wrap around my cauliflower!

If you have a chance to visit a local market, I definitely encourage you to check it out.  Or even see if you can get one started in your neighbourhood.  Its a growing fad now, and I definitely think its one that will stick around – especially once more people begin to realize the benefits of the market.

But that is not all we have in this town.

We also have a neighbourhood bulk store which is my 4 year old son’s favorite place.  I can purchase all of my my dry goods in bulk or as I need them … and once again, its within walking distance.  Rarely do I stock up on items from here as I do enjoy the walk there with my son throughout the week!  You can bring in your own reusable containers to fill, or re-use small bags if necessary … My son and I memorize the bin numbers so we don’t have to write down the items on a plastic tag .

I love being able to get all these things without all the wasteful and unecessary packaging.

And what makes it even better is that it is right across the street, literally, from our Farmer’s Market so I make sure I head into town with a backpack and lots of reusable bags.

Candace
aka CandyWWGM

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