After reading Omnivore's Dilemma and Animal Vegetable Miracle, I have decided to be more aware of what I eat. I started by purchasing more organic foods. Recently I've decided to buy the majority of my groceries at the Coop. Buying more locally grown foods is also something on which I am focusing. On a recent trip to The Wedge, I noticed my receipt gives a percentage of local food purchased. After giving it some thought I e-mailed with a couple of questions: 1) How did they get the percentage? 2) What is considered "local?"
Today I receive the explanation: First, he explained that the percentage is a monetary percentage not a percentage of items. Next, he explained the "local" definition.
"since some shoppers are very strict about their definitions (some say within 50 miles of home). But we decided to go with a broad definition since (a) we live in the Upper Midwest and our food sources are, by the necessity of winter, sprawled out much further than a moderate, maritime climate like San Francisco's (where the "locavore" movement was born), and (b) companies like Peace Coffee, for example, make a huge impact on the local economy (they're locally owned and emply 15 people all of whom live right in Minneapolis) even if the product itself isn't local. So it's more of an economic definition than an ecological, "carbon foot print" definition."
I will admit it makes sense to me, so I will continue to buy what The Wedge considers "local." Obviously eating fruits and vegetables all year long and buying local will be difficult, but I think it's worth the challenge. Besides, I somewhat enjoy a bit of a challenge.
Today I receive the explanation: First, he explained that the percentage is a monetary percentage not a percentage of items. Next, he explained the "local" definition.
"since some shoppers are very strict about their definitions (some say within 50 miles of home). But we decided to go with a broad definition since (a) we live in the Upper Midwest and our food sources are, by the necessity of winter, sprawled out much further than a moderate, maritime climate like San Francisco's (where the "locavore" movement was born), and (b) companies like Peace Coffee, for example, make a huge impact on the local economy (they're locally owned and emply 15 people all of whom live right in Minneapolis) even if the product itself isn't local. So it's more of an economic definition than an ecological, "carbon foot print" definition."
I will admit it makes sense to me, so I will continue to buy what The Wedge considers "local." Obviously eating fruits and vegetables all year long and buying local will be difficult, but I think it's worth the challenge. Besides, I somewhat enjoy a bit of a challenge.
Comments