However, I have learned that I am not cut out to be a hardcore locavore. I like my rice and my rice noodles. I
Until then, I plan to continue eating as I have this past week, incorporating more local ingredients into my meals but not being hard-core psycho about it. Should I feel guilty that I am unwilling to go 100% (or even 98%) local from now on? That's a matter of opinion but in mine, the answer is no. My overall impact is already considerably lower than the average Westerner's because of my choices: often biking and walking rather than driving, eating a vegan diet, having no children, participating in a CSA, growing a garden, preserving food, using natural products for personal/home/yard care over chemicals and poisons, conserving water/electricity/gas at home, and so on.
In my view, the step of going from my usual 60-75% local diet to completely local would make a fairly small difference in the big scheme of things. It would, however, make a big difference in my family's quality of life. I'd rather push myself to bike more than I am now than give up those non-local foods we enjoy.
6 comments:
I do a little better than 75%, but as a rule nowhere near 98!! Even so, it affects me socially. I have to plan my meals far enough in advance ("Let's try these seeds this year!") that I'm really invested in them -- and another reason is that half the year, when there's wood burning in the stove, I'm maxing out the stove top with potatoes, winter squash, chili, or cooked cereals two to three days out.
So when company comes, there's a whole lot of things I'm really happy with, myself, yet NOTHING to offer them that they would consider eating, unless maybe they were diplomats invited out to eat at a peasant's house in Elbonia.
The kids are here this weekend, and Beloved, who's not as committed to this stuff as I am, still knows how to cook for them, and takes over. But then everything available seems too rich to me; it's actually unfamiliar to my innards and I end up saying "don't feel so good" and cowering under a blanket in the bedroom until everyone's distracted, and then get myself a bowl of mush in the background. We, luckily, all have a sense of humor about it ... anyway, I hear ya!
That sounds like a wonderfully balanced view to me. All these decisions come down to what we are able to compromise on.
From what I can see people that eat a more restricted diet are always going to find it a lot more challenging, if not at times basically impossible, to stay healthy and go totally local. Could you do a healthy vegan diet locally, maybe. Should you, probably not if it significantly changes your quality of life.
Kind Regards
Belinda
My guess is that most of us reading your blog are on a similar journey to make more conscious choices. We are bucking a system determined to see us fail, and every step we take toward a more sustainable, ecologically sound, healthy lifestyle is a good thing.
So please accept my congratulations on every local choice you made this week--each one a small victory toward sustainability. Thank you for your courage and stamina. Together, we are all making a difference, and your work here is vitally important to the rest of us.
Hey, my dear chile, you're out there on the edges of making conscious choices and that isn't easy. I have to admit we're behind you and watching and reading about what you do so that's a kind of pressure, too.
I'm grateful you're wiling to be out there tryingn things so we all can learn. And after all we're only human ....
peace, shamba
Having my own garden and orchard, supplemented by local farmer's markets, I could eat locally year round. I don't because I love foods from all countries and finding it locally grown is impossible.
Sadder still, I really have to watch the local farmer's markets because they're not above precipitating the growth season and providing shipped in foods. (what, exactly, are the parameters for local grown? within a day's drive? closer?) I have to ask almost every time to make sure the foods are local.
Baby steps by larger numbers may bring help, sooner, but I'm not sure. What I tell folks who don't have yards with enough sun for gardening or solar cooking is to find another way of saving the planet's resources that works for their household.
Simply by making the choice to take as little from the planet begins the mindset for a lifetime. Just like witnessing, you gain more followers by example than by preaching. You, Ms.Chile Chews, are a beautiful example to emulate, and I thank you.
Risa - I hear you on the social costs of eating differently than the average American. We already experience that as vegans. Add in trying to go all-local and we might as well move into a cave.
I get envious of your "free" cooking opportunities on the wood stove and keep trying to convince my sweetie that we really need one for our cold winters. Ha!
Yeah, richer food does a number on us, too.
Belinda - as mentioned above, the vegan plus local is pretty darn restrictive. I'm happy with keeping to vegan, local wheat, local produce, but non-local rice and seasonings. And I'm still going to buy the occaisonal avocado...at least until I make it up to a local resort that is rumored to have an avocado tree and find out what conditions that are growing it in...
Kathryn - thank you for your kind words. All I'm really doing - in my view - is sharing my journey. The fact that I inspire others continues to amaze and humble me.
Shamba - yeah, I feel like I'm out there "on the edge" ... of a cliff sometimes! I always wonder if my next choice going to make my footing more solid or destabilize me enough that I tumble over the edge. ;-)
Sharlene - thank you for your kind words as well. At our farmer's market, we get quite a variety of local food. The definition of local is variable, however. Some produce is grown right in Tucson or on the outskirts. Other produce comes from smaller communities within 100 miles. Some comes from Mexico, but I'm not sure how far away. And some, such as the strawberries and ginger I bought yesterday, comes from California. I try to remember to ask or keep going to the same vendors so I know where my food comes from.
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