Earth911 is honoring the 52 years of Earth Day with 52 Actions for the Earth. Each week by Earth Day 2023, we are going to share an motion you’ll be able to take to invest in the Earth and make your personal life extra sustainable. Markets that promote contemporary domestically grown and produced meals make it simple to shop your values throughout each environmental and social issues. This week, you’ll be able to take motion for the Earth by visiting a farmers market.
Action: Visit a Farmers Market
Greener Produce
Industrial agriculture works at too giant a scale to hassle with native markets. Not all the things at your native farmers market will probably be organic and GMO-free. But farms that promote at native markets are more likely to be concerned in sustainable or regenerative agriculture. You can discover foraged wild meals like mushrooms, produce grown below permaculture or biodynamic strategies, and humanely raised meats extra simply at farmers markets than at supermarkets.
Even when farmers use standard strategies, purchasing at a farmers market ensures freshness. Buying meals at its freshest helps get rid of food waste and could also be more nutritious. Shopping on the farmers market contributes to a plastic-free living since only some ready meals at such markets are prepackaged and also you carry your personal containers for produce.
Growing Community
Farmers markets are the epitome of shopping local. Shopping domestically reduces the environmental impacts of transporting meals. It additionally helps native farms and artisans like bakers and different small meals companies, maintaining cash in your group. Nearly 32 jobs are created for each $1 million in income generated by produce farms concerned in direct advertising and marketing, corresponding to farmers markets, compared to solely 10.5 jobs for wholesale farms. Supporting native growers additionally improves food security by rising the number of crops grown and reducing reliance on long-distance transport networks. Shopping on the farmers market offers you the chance to be taught concerning the origin of your meals, construct relationships throughout the group, and even eat a extra different and healthful weight loss plan in tune with the seasons.
Visit the Farmers Market
You can use the USDA’s Local Food Directory to discover a farmers market close to you. Many markets run year-round, whereas others solely function in the summertime. Larger markets could also be open day-after-day, however most will solely open on one or two days every week. This week, if a market close to you is open, seize your reusable purchasing bag and go to the market. Find out what’s obtainable and the way the costs and high quality evaluate to the grocery store. Even in case you’re underwhelmed, decide to visiting once more in just a few weeks. Available produce modifications with the seasons, and there will probably be extra selection every week because the climate heats up.
If not one of the markets close to you might be open but, make an observation of the opening date in your calendar, and decide to purchasing there when the reminder pops up. The market may not have the ability to fully change the grocery store. But each time you store there, you might be investing within the Earth.