Do you ever wonder where the food you buy comes from? I never used to, when I lived in the city. And I still don’t always check. It’s easy for me to forget about, because I only recently became enlightened. The majority of people don’t think about it. They just buy what they need, whenever they want. Food comes from the grocery store, butchers, bakeries, specialty shops … right?
Several years ago I read “The Hundred Mile Diet” at the coaxing of a friend. Before reading it, I have to admit I scoffed a little at the idea of buying food that was produced locally. Now I cringe every time I think about my negative reaction to such a concept.
In our society, we aren’t taught to question things. Nobody tells us where food comes from. Nobody points out how ridiculous it is that our lettuce and garlic now come from China, our peppers and grapes from Mexico or Chile, apples from New Zealand, etc. And the produce that’s grown right here in British Columbia, where does it go? Why aren’t British Columbians able to buy it from their grocery stores? Our Canadian farmers are increasingly unable to carry on their chosen way of life. Is it not insane that we apparently prefer to buy food produced halfway around the world, when we can have the very best, the safest and the most nutritious food right at our doorsteps?
North Americans, Europeans and a growing number of third world countries have been very spoiled. We are a culture of instant gratification. When we want something, we want it now. Instead of eating with the seasons and buying locally to support our farmers, we want all vegetables and fruits, all of the time! Not to mention other types of food and meat. And we’ve been given everything we want, to the detriment of the environment.
Did you know that most of the garlic you buy in your neighborhood grocery is from China? Garlic is one of the easiest things to grow, and it does really well in most parts of BC. But we buy it from China. Why? It’s super cheap. Our grocery stores would rather buy cheap, old tasteless garlic from overseas than fresh and delicious, but more expensive garlic from local growers. And there are many garlic farmers in BC, as well as across Canada.
Today I found a new brand of eggs in my grocery store. The label said that not only were they organic, but cage-free and grass-fed. Excited, I grabbed a carton and was about to put it in my shopping cart when a little voice in my head reminded me to check the source. So I looked at the label again. The eggs came from Ontario. Are there no chickens laying eggs in the Fraser Valley? There must be. So where are they going? And what kind of packaging must be required to ship those fragile eggs across our vast country? I did a little research. I’m not going to write further on the subject now, but this is what I found: http://www.chilliwacktoday.ca/?p=10902 .
Here’s a question we should be asking ourselves. When you buy food that actually was shipped here from Mexico, or China, or New Zealand, do you consider the impact on our atmosphere and our oceans of transporting the goods? The pollution sent out from this massive addiction to “cheap” goods is not factored into the price at the checkout, ever. We and our grandchildren will be paying for this addiction down the road. It won’t be so cheap to them.
People are starting to learn about their carbon footprint because it’s talked about in the media. More and more businesses are getting on board to help save the planet. Some of us have discovered where our food comes from, how much it costs to get from there to here, and how much fuel is used to do so. And we know that in the usage of that fuel, carbon dioxide is created which contributes to global warming. But most people still don’t even think about it. If you haven’t paid much attention yet, I really encourage you to start. Do some research. The time to act is now, not in a while.
Ask yourself if it’s logical that farmers in British Columbia ship their vegetables and fruit to the United States and beyond. Does it make sense that we then turn around and have vegetables and fruits shipped from all over the world to British Columbian grocery stores? Are local farmers forced to do this, due to market forces that prevent them from supplying local vendors and resellers? When you buy in bulk, you get lower prices. At no cost?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not arguing for the 100-mile diet and nothing else here. We have to be realistic. I recognize that it’s impossible to get absolutely everything we need or want locally. In fact, if we decided to only eat food that was grown or raised in our local area, we would probably be quite hungry through the winter months (and somewhat bored?). It’s also important to note that some shipping methods have a greater environmental impact than others. So perhaps our focus should be on buying as much locally as we can, but when it’s not feasible or possible, looking for food that has been delivered most efficiently and with low environmental impact. It’s all about balance. I do enjoy a nice Shiraz with dinner on occasion, so we should buy abroad, but only quality items, or things which add value. We should offset those purchases with efforts to reduce our personal impact on the earth’s resources. Why not put Canadians back to work, giving us the best food on earth?
Please support your local farmers and buy local as much as you can! To find the farmer’s market nearest you in the lower mainland, check out this site: http://www.bcfarmersmarket.org/findamarket.asp .
Also, try growing some of your own food! It’s fun and very rewarding. The closest garden to you is the one in your own back yard (or balcony).
© Garlic in the Soul 2011
