I listened to an interview with Mike Berners-Lee, the author of the book How Bad Are Bananas? which is really, as the subtitle states, about the carbon footprint of everything. It turns out bananas aren't so bad. They come in their own wrapper and they don't need to be flown. Of course the way they are grown is scary, and they sure don't raise bananas here in the Frozen North, so they must be transported. An ever-increasing amount of our food is brought here from somewhere else and that is reflected in that relatively new phrase "carbon footprint."
The Canadian lifestyle spews about four times as much carbon into the atmosphere as the planetary average. And while our car-driving serves up about 10% and our home-heating another 10%, our food consumption is responsible for about 20% -- the other two combined. This surprised me to be honest. So, the source of our food really does make a difference.
Here in Bowmanville we are surrounded by rich farmland which is steadily shrinking because of suburban sprawl. Fortunately we can still get local produce, but how long will that last. And we do like our fresh fruit and veggies in winter, along with variety. There aren't any locally grown mangoes either.
Last year we shared a community garden plot with reader Brian but we have been informed that, come Fall, the school board will be planting a French immersion school where our tomatoes have been growing.
Thanks to reader Larry I was introduced to an interesting video produced by Hellman's --yup, the mayonnaise people. Take a look.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRfjMOjrfnI
Since we are people of faith we can ponder where our food comes from, not as a God-given right but as a gift of abundance. We can join Jesus in walking lightly on the Earth.
Thoughts?
7 comments:
Excellent video. I will share that with my students who are working on environmental stewardship. I try to buy locally, but am finding it more and more difficult. Our food truly is a gift of abundance, we are soo fortunate.
We just got on the local bandwagon last year, and it was well worth it. Our costs went down, volume of product per trip went up, and ultimately it ended up being win/win for both our family and the vendor.
Since we kept the purchase in Clarington, too, I guess we all win, to some extent.
Just to let you David, there is a new community garden and it is up by the Bowmanville cemetery. Last year, for the first time, I started growing vegetables in containers on my balcony (green onions, tomatoes, red peppers plus assorted herbs). Onions grew well and got lots of peppers but only a few tomatoes to eat but not to make chili sauce with which was my goal). Not sure if I needed bigger pots. I need to start thinking about what I want to try this year. I, too, have a real concern about where our food will come from 10 - 20 years down the road.
P.S. Sorry about your loss of your plot for a school, however our daughter has spent her entire last 3 years in French Immersion in a portable because of no space for them inside the building. (This has meant endless colds due to the condition of the portables) The school is needed, but perhaps they could have looked at other alternatives or the old Highschool they just sold......A whole other issue for sure!!
Very interesting video, and very true - it is a shame that we are importing more and more food.
I am the guy in the fruit and vegetable section who is reading every label, reading where the product is from. Unfortunately, in the winter, pretty much everything is from Mexico or S. America it seems.
I may buy berries in bulk during the summer and freeze as many as possible to have them during the winter. Can't wait to be planting my tomatoes and other favourites in a matter of weeks!
As an aside, having a vegetarian girlfriend has gotten me away from red meat somewhat(my own choosing), and that is something else that we can do for our environment - reducing our red meat consumption. I've gotta have a steak on occasion though.
Thanks all. I listened to a rep from a grocery chain who reminded viewers that they have no ideology about what they supply. They offer what people want and what they are willing to pay for. If we ask in sufficient numbers and actually buy, they will provide.
I agree that"local" is getting harder to find, although we too have found that the price is often comparable.
Good reminder about the new community garden Susan. Unfortunately is it on the outskirts of town and will require a car drive. The current garden is a bike ride for us.
I suppose if the current garden is going to be eliminated, a school is as good a reason as any Nancy!
Johnny, it now sounds as though you are officially a Flexitarian. Congrats!
Living in Saskatchewan, in a farming community, I wonder why it is so hard to find local produce. There is a farmer's market in Estevan, 40 minutes away, and if I want to buy organic produce, I have to drive to Regina, an hour and a half away.
If I want local and organic, I have to grow it in my own garden. I have failed two years in a row. Maybe the third year will be a charm. I will be growing in a different spot with more sun. We'll see.
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