This is my entry for the World Environment Day Blogging competition #wedblog2015, share to help me win!
When I go out for food I skip the grocery stores with aisles full of plastic and artificial additives and opt for the Farmer's Market. When I need new pants I head away from the billboard ads and lit up store fronts and head towards the thrift stores in search of the perfect pair. And when I need to get somewhere I bike passed the gas stations and truck stops and pedal my way to self sufficiency. Why would I do that? Because I am a Locavore.
A Locavore is a person who lives and acts by consciously supporting the local economy, building community and being healthy all along the way. We are the people who read labels to find out where things come from, ask questions about how products and foods are made, and choose local before any other alternative. Being a Locavore is a sustainable choice for one to make that helps reduce our impact on the environment instead of mainstream consumer lifestyles that abuse it. While western culture has shifted to a 'don't ask don't tell' model of buying products and food with no idea to how it was produced or where it came from, Locavores take the time to investigate these questions and make more ethical purchasing decisions.
Right now, I am nearly eight months into a year long Locavore project where I have not purchased anything from out side of my province. I buy clothes from the thrift store, food from the farmer's market, and bike to get around. By making these switches I have reduced my dependency on fossil fuels and subsequently my footprint. Products that are bought and sold locally reduce transportation impacts associated with global supply chains. Also, by shopping only from local business I am ensuring that the money I spend goes towards families and neighbours instead of corporations. We also promote the economy by offering jobs and supporting community projects. By eating locally sourced foods I am reconnecting with my roots and learning about what is native to my bioregion. My food does not come pre-packaged, doesn't contain ingredients I can't pronounce, and is always fresh.
Locavores create less waste, have a smaller carbon footprint, and are overall more ethical consumers. If our population continues to rise we will soon have more consumers than ever before. If more of us were able to begin thinking about consumption and take the steps to improve our behaviours, then it may be possible for us to share this planet. All around, the Locavore 'diet' or lifestyle is about reconnecting with nature and discovering how people lived years ago that effected their planet less then we do now. If we continue to consume without thought to our repercussions then the temperatures will continue to rise, forests will continue to disappear, and mutated crops will continue to grow. All of this will lead to a bleak future for subsequent generations if we continue on the path of blind consumption.It may seem daunting to give up that half-fat mocha and designer purse for the sake of someone else's survival, but it is entirely possible to live well and be apart of the global economy and live within our means. At the end of the day it will be those little changes in consumer behaviours that will go a long way in changing the world.
Have a lovely day,
Melanie
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
