well, I got some good feedback from y'all in regards to the last entry, so I think I'll just be lazy about bringing forward new material, and give you a sampling of the things people had to say about eating locally!
"... I love that you’ve put your thinking about eating locally out there, sharing your own reasoning and thoughtful choices about how to combat global warming. Eating locally, mostly locally...is something I’m interested in and trying to learn more about (and practice in my own way!).
By the way, I agree about olive oil, and I think each of us begins to do as much as we can w/o feeling guilty about a few concessions.It has to be user friendly or people might not even consider trying..."
"...I’m a ‘green girl’ myself but with a twist. I buy organic or biodynamic only. My diet is organic, predominantly raw vegan, which means nuts, seeds, and avocados are a staple of my diet, none of which are grown here. I also can’t eat apples, so pears play a big part of my diet, especially in the winter when fruit selection is limited. I don’t buy local unless it’s organic or I know that the farm is not spraying. I will not support the use of pesticides even if it means I’m paying a lot more for produce and it’s grown more than 100 miles from here. I do not eat processed food or anything that is GMO (canola, corn, soy, wheat). I eat what’s in season and have been stocking up the freezer with BC organic fruit and veggies. It definitely costs more to eat this way – just last week I spent $2.79 on a bunch of organic BC carrots (4 of them), instead of $1.79/lb for organic US carrots.
There are a number of areas where I disagree with the 100 mile diet (especially that they were vegetarian who went back to eating meat, which is not sustainable for the planet), but if even one person becomes more conscious about what they eat, it’ll be a big step in the right direction……..
You might like to check out the following two movies: “The Future of Food” and “We Feed the World.” Both are very interesting. There’s also the Slow Food Movement, which is predominantly in Europe and places other than North America..."
and this same person also suggested a bit more interesting reading, if you're into it:
http://www.thegreenguide.com
http://www.organicconsumers.org/
www.idealbite.com , and last but not least:
an article from david suzuki
"...After reading your blogspot on the 100 mile diet, I think you and I share some common beliefs around the topic of consumerism. Good on you by the way, and Kate as well! It's a good practice, one that I myself am trying to incorporate into my daily life too! It's tough though, and I do indulge in things like wine, rice, couscous, olive oil, chocolate, cheese, and certain fruits like kiwis and oranges. But the key for me right now is to cut down on eating imported foods, and also to eat as many whole foods as possible. I've been a vegetarian for five months now, but Scott still eats meat and thus purchasing organic meat is important to him, and me! The consumerism issue has been on my mind for quite some time now, and ...I went and saw "The 11th Hour", the DiCaprio documentary on climate change. It is good and I highly recommend it. It addresses the issue of consumerism as being one of the fundamental problems at the centre of the global warming/climate change dilemma. It makes connections and provides solutions.
For me, I've been thinking a lot about the importance and the value we (as human beings) place on material things. I've been thinking about and evaluating the extrenuous, unnecessary things in my life. I think about ways of living more simply, and thus more happily..."
