The answer to the question of, "Where can I get healthy produce?" has for a while now been organic products, and since 2000 the percentage of Americans who buy organic produce once a week has gone up 17 percent. An article in Time Magazine by John Cloud offers a new solution to organic--local produce.
The idea behind local produce, is that purchasing food that is grown less than 100 miles away from where you live is better for the environment.
Every Wednesday and Sunday the Santa Monica Farmer's Market comes to the Third Street Promenade, and is frequented by celebrities, santa monica residents and restaurant owners. Delicious food but it can be pricey! Photo courtesy of clairity at flickr.
Buying local produce doesn't always mean the products you purchase are free from pesticides and hormones; but purchasing from a local farmer means supporting your local economy and cutting down on the carbon footprint of importing food from all around the world. It also means buying produce only when it's in season, and sometimes (especially in Santa Monica) it means spending more on produce than you would at the grocery store.
Buying organic food means food free from all the stuff thats not only harmful to the environment but also potentially harmful to your body. Organic products may be free of additives, hormones or pesticides, but I've noticed that organic fruit seems to go bad faster, doesn't always taste better, and often costs more.
So what's the solution? Local? Organic? Local AND Organic? Or damn it all and go to the grocery store?
I want to know, in an ideal world where would you get your produce, and where do you get it now? Sound off in the comments.
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