100 Mile Diet
by Rachel Feeney
Imagine only eating locally grown food. The food you consume daily must be produced within one hundred miles of where you live. This exact dieting type is referred to as the 100-mile diet. Now, what are the odds that you’d be able to change your eating habits for the better and while doing so, helping to greatly cut down on your carbon footprint? Believe it or not this can be done, and numerous people have changed their lifestyles through this “100-mile diet.” Of course, there are a few downfalls, including the limitation of food choices during certain times of the year.
It is estimated that there are over 15.5 million trucks operating in the United States. Each day and night, these trucks work around the clock to meet the delivery times on their schedules. Buying food that are produced close to your home will help to cut down on these oversized delivery trucks, thus reducing air pollution.
If you decide to take this lifestyle change into consideration, most of your fresh foods will be bought from farm stands and farmer markets. Large chain grocery stores that do not buy locally sell chemically treated produce with elongated shelf lives. These chemicals that are used to extend produce freshness can eliminate nutrients from produce, and can be harmful to your health.
According to Rita Klavinski, Michigan State University Extension, when food ages it loses its nutrient value. Food bought from local markets is usually only a few days old, which assures it still has its nutrient values.
Stimulating the local economy is extremely important in todays day and age. This 100-mile diet makes it easy to do so. You’ll be giving farmers the business that they desperately need in order to keep their farms running, and prevent these small businesses from being bought out by large companies.
This project is a community effort. Like many life occurrences, change happens more easily when a greater amount of people are involved. The more people who are changing their eating habits, the easier it is for farmers to have business. The more business local farmers have, the more local jobs are created. In general, this diet plays a large role in stimulating local economies. By ensuring only locally grown food is eaten, the overall environment will see a change. Eating only locally grown food is a challenge, but I encourage it to be tried by all.
[Photo, Natalie Maynor, by Department of Conservation licensed by (CC BY 2.0)]
by Rachel Feeney
Imagine only eating locally grown food. The food you consume daily must be produced within one hundred miles of where you live. This exact dieting type is referred to as the 100-mile diet. Now, what are the odds that you’d be able to change your eating habits for the better and while doing so, helping to greatly cut down on your carbon footprint? Believe it or not this can be done, and numerous people have changed their lifestyles through this “100-mile diet.” Of course, there are a few downfalls, including the limitation of food choices during certain times of the year.
It is estimated that there are over 15.5 million trucks operating in the United States. Each day and night, these trucks work around the clock to meet the delivery times on their schedules. Buying food that are produced close to your home will help to cut down on these oversized delivery trucks, thus reducing air pollution.
If you decide to take this lifestyle change into consideration, most of your fresh foods will be bought from farm stands and farmer markets. Large chain grocery stores that do not buy locally sell chemically treated produce with elongated shelf lives. These chemicals that are used to extend produce freshness can eliminate nutrients from produce, and can be harmful to your health.
According to Rita Klavinski, Michigan State University Extension, when food ages it loses its nutrient value. Food bought from local markets is usually only a few days old, which assures it still has its nutrient values.
Stimulating the local economy is extremely important in todays day and age. This 100-mile diet makes it easy to do so. You’ll be giving farmers the business that they desperately need in order to keep their farms running, and prevent these small businesses from being bought out by large companies.
This project is a community effort. Like many life occurrences, change happens more easily when a greater amount of people are involved. The more people who are changing their eating habits, the easier it is for farmers to have business. The more business local farmers have, the more local jobs are created. In general, this diet plays a large role in stimulating local economies. By ensuring only locally grown food is eaten, the overall environment will see a change. Eating only locally grown food is a challenge, but I encourage it to be tried by all.
[Photo, Natalie Maynor, by Department of Conservation licensed by (CC BY 2.0)]