By Blake Johnson
Sustainability Studies student
When thinking about what a perfect sustainable food system is, the first thing that comes to mind would be organic. The idea that fresh, clean, and safe foods are the best way for a sustainable system is only a small portion of exactly what needs to be done. Where we get the food we eat is major factor in how sustainable that food is. Even if the food is organic, but it is imported from a country across the world, those resources used to get it into the United States, cost more than it would to purchase some produced good within our own area. Buying local requires extra work, and can limit us to the foods that are in season, but this work and extra limitations are needed to become the most sustainable we can be within our food systems. The options to buy local are becoming more and more present as we move towards a more informed and environmentally friendly time in society. The move towards the sustainable food system may take a lot of work, and may happen in small steps. Eating locally and organic is a step we are capable of achieving now to better our world.
Moving towards local farm systems can help eliminate the uses of industrial farming. Industrial farms hurt our society in many different ways that affect the triple bottom line. Industrial farms produce hazardous chemicals into our atmosphere that created a negative impact on our way of life. According to Grace Community, “Industrial farming effects our environment in myriad ways (e.g., by polluting the air, surface water, and ground water, over-consuming fossil fuels and water resources, degrading soil quality, inducing erosion, and accelerating the loss of biodiversity).” All these negative effects can be counteracted by being environmentally aware and eating locally grown foods by organic farmers. Another negative effect of industrial farming is the health of farmers. The work conditions are more harmful to those who work on industrial farms. Also, when we buy our food from the suppliers that use industrial farming, we are supporting the use and taking money away from the community that local farmers provide. Buying local puts the money into your community to build up and produce more local opportunities. The distance the food must travel when produced industrially causes us to use unnecessary fossil fuels to produce food in our area. Grace Community also said, “Although the concept of “food miles” has been criticized as an unreliable indicator of the environmental impact of industrially produced food, Fit should be noted that conventional food is estimated to typically travel between 1,500 and 3,000 miles to reach the consumer.” Getting away from these negative practices can help our economy, our people, and our community by staying within our community to get the needed food.
Becoming local consumers creates many different benefits for the entire community as well as the world. If we can eat locally we reduce harmful practices many farms use. Eating locally helps provide clarity on the pesticides that are used. If we understand what practices our local farms use, we gain the empowerment to buy from the farms with the best practices.” It’s important to ask about growing practices because buying local does not automatically mean the food is sustainably produced.” Also, our empowerment means we can speak with the farmers personally, and provide helpful ideas and information that can lead to better and more efficient methods. Creating connections with people within our community also helps to keep economy balanced in the community. Shopping locally is better for everyone’s bottom line. “Research out of Brock University suggests $3 billion would be added to the local economy if 5 million Ontarians spent $10 of their grocery budget on local foods each week.” Putting money into your own community provides demand, which in hand, bring a higher supply. Contrary to belief, buying local can cost less because we are eliminating the travel cost as well as the cost to maintain crops with pesticides. If we continue to use industrial farms, we can lose some of the plants and animals we use within our food system. Rebuilding the Food Shed suggest, “Many of [the] plants and animals simply don’t function within industrialized agriculture operations… Home-scale uses, therefore, are critical to conserving these vital seeds and breed and the traditions surrounding them” (220). It is critical that we get away from our socially normal practice and regain a more healthy practice. The benefits hit all the ideas sustainability stands for and works along the entire triple bottom line.
The importance of developing communication within a community is a major factor into why local food buying should be implemented. People can spread ideas and help others within a community through developing relationships. Storytelling within a community helps in the process of developing relationships and Rebuilding the Food Shed explains how. “A primary benefit is the actual act of storytelling that these actions can prompt, rekindling community and cultural connections through food” (220). Storytelling happens within a family setting to, which is promoted when we choose to buy locally. “We get to savour the bounty with loved ones, enjoying the experience slowly, talking about the effort and the end result (rather than wolfing down pre-made reconstituted food with the TV on!).” This idea helps us create memories, these memories than create stories, and the cycle is endless.
People can learn and grow within the community. The benefits of staying local and finding the food within our area is unlimited. We can remove the bad practices that come along with industrial farming, as well as promote the growth of our own sustainable practices. We can put our money to better use by putting it back into our own community instead of the big worldwide business that created hazardous conditions for our food as well as its workers. We also develop relationships and friendships as we shop locally and get to know the farmers who provide us with more healthy options. Just these few benefits make it worth the extra work needed to understand where our food comes from, and makes it worth shopping around to find our best local and healthy options.
Works Cited
“GRACE Communications Foundation.” GRACE Communications Foundation. N.p., 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
“Benefits of Buying Local Food.” Green Living. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
Ackerman-Leist, Philip. “You Can’t Grow That Here” pp. 216-221 from Rebuilding the Foodshed: How to Create Local, Sustainable, and Secure Food Systems. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green, 2013.
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