50 Simple Steps to Kick Our Oil Habit

STEP #12

Become a Locavore

When we wake up and discover that what we eat is directly connected to our oil consumption, we realize the amazing amount of power we wield. The simple choices we make every day about which foods to buy significantly impacts the amount of oil that is required to fuel us as a nation, a culture and an individual. By choosing locally grown foods, we are reducing the amount of oil needed to feed us.

As most of our food today is grown in centralized locations (some 90 percent of the fresh vegetables in the U.S. are grown in California’s San Joaquin Valley), transporting food requires staggering amounts of fossil fuels. Sustainable Table (www.sustainabletable.org) reports that in 2005, in excess of “$120 billion of agricultural products crossed U.S. borders as imports and exports. As a result, the average American foodstuff travels an estimated 1,500 miles before being consumed.”

Locally grown food offers a healthy, oil-saving alternative to food shipped from hundreds of miles away, and buying it is an easy and extremely helpful way to cut down on oil consumption and support local farmers. More and more grocery stores are stocking locally grown food, and farmers’ markets are a great place to find fresh, local food at excellent prices. When you buy locally produced organic foods, here’s what you get in exchange:

Fresher, more nutritious food. Locally grown fruits and vegetables are usually harvested within 24 hours of being purchased by the consumer. Produce picked at the height of freshness and with the least transportation time often tastes better. Because locally grown produce is freshest, it is more nutritionally complete too. Nutritional value declines, often dramatically, as time passes after harvest. Post-harvest handling and storage practices can also reduce the levels of antioxidants. Some vegetables are picked before they are ripe to allow for ripening during transportation, but vine ripening is better for producing the best taste and most nutrient-dense foods.
Improved food security. A food system that is dependent on foreign oil to produce our food is risky for national security. Conflicts could cause oil rates to escalate and significantly impact or even halt our food production. Putting our trust in local farms eliminates our dependence on foreign oil for food. This is also of critical importance should major transportation routes be brought to a halt by a terrorist attack or natural disaster.
Increased regional economic health. Buying locally grown foods keeps money within the community and produces a stronger local economy. This contributes to the health of all sectors of the local economy, increasing the local quality of life.
Support for self-sufficient communities. A community that produces its own food enables people to influence how their food is grown. In addition, it reduces reliance on far-off food producers, thus stabilizing its own food supply.
Help for preserving biodiversity. Farmers who sell locally are not limited to the few fruit and vegetable varieties that are bred for long-distance shipping, high yields, and shelf life. Often they raise and sell wonderful heirloom varieties that may be hard to find in supermarkets.
Preservation of the rural character of the land. Supporting local farmers means maintaining local farmland, which is much better for the local climate than putting up malls and parking lots. Local consumers can serve as the lifeline for local farmers because they create direct marketing opportunities where sellers can sell directly to consumers and receive fair prices for their crops (as opposed to selling at wholesale prices to distributors and retailers).
Avoidance of post-harvest contamination. Foods sold in local markets without the need for extensive storage and transportation will likely contain minimal or no waxes and/or fungicides applied to protect the product after harvest.

Farmers’ markets cut down on unnecessary food travel and packaging and provide a great way to socialize and enjoy local in-season food. Indeed, the fastest growth segment of the food industry is the local farmers’ market. We underground people are coming topside in droves to buy locally grown foods and reconnect with our communities and the earth.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is another great way for the food-buying public to form a partnership with a local farm and receive fresh produce each week. By making a financial commitment to a farm, people become shareholders or subscribers. Many CSA farms offer produce subscriptions, where buyers receive a weekly or monthly basket of flowers, fruits, eggs, milk, coffee, and other types of farm products.

Most CSA farmers prefer that members pay for the season upfront, but some farmers will accept weekly or monthly payments. Some CSAs also require members to work a few hours on the farm during the growing season.

A CSA season typically runs from late spring through early fall. The number of CSAs in the United States was estimated at 50 in 1990 and has since grown to over 1,000, while farmers’ markets are also expanding across the United States, growing from 1,755 markets in 1993 to 3,100 in 2002. This is great news—so keep spreading the word about the benefits of buying locally produced foods and take another step toward freedom from oil, while simultaneously helping the small farmer and the nation.

To find local farmer’s markets and CSAs: