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Eating Locally Grown Produce Can Be A Huge Step Towards Making Your "Carbon Footprint" Smaller

by Cate Dobbins, Loretto Environmental Club Parent Advisor |
Jul 19, 2008

Learn more about what types of produce are best for eating in a responsible, sustainable manner that supports your health and your environment.

Even though it has been thirty seven years since Frances Moore-Lappe's Diet For a Small Planet was published, I still have yet to come across a more simple and succinct argument for choosing to eat more sustainably. "Imagine yourself sitting in a restaurant in front of an eight ounce steak, and then imagine the room filled with 45 to 50 people with empty bowls in front of them. For the "feed cost" of your steak (1971 prices), each of their bowls could be filled with a full cup of cooked cereal grains..."

"Sustainable Eating" refers to purchasing (or even growing your own) foods and eating in such a way that helps to maintain or improve the environment, the planet's food supply and human health.


The Standard American Diet (aptly called by the acronym SAD), which is the diet of the average American, exacts a terrible toll on both our bodies and the earth. Most people realize on some level that all food production has at least some impact on our ecosystem. But we also need to realize we can consciously choose the foods we eat to at least try and balance what we want to eat and what we should eat to keep ourselves and the ecosystem healthy. Even if you can't bring yourself to become a vegan or a vegetarian, you can choose to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet, and even learn to enjoy meatless meals.

Sustainable eating can help to support sustainable agriculture, which reduces the petroleum needed for production and lowers carbon emissions. But contrary to what many people believe- supporting sustainable agriculture does not just mean buying organic foods, because much of the organic foods you find in the supermarkets are grown on large farms owned by corporations and are transported great distances. It is also very important to seek out locally grown produce. (Locally grown organic is even better.) For example, there is simply no reason for Floridians to buy the hard, tasteless, white tinged things that some supermarkets have the nerve to call strawberries. In many cases they have been gassed to appear red and have been trucked in all the way from California, even though some of the best strawberries in the world are grown locally right here in Florida. To help you be a smarter and healthier shopper, here is a list/schedule of produce that grows in our local area from the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) for the remaining months of this year. [Visit the NRDC for a list of in-season produce at any time, from any part of the country].

JULY: Asian Pears, Avocado, Bananas, Blackberries, Cantaloupe, Endive, Escarole, Grapefruit, Guava, Limes, Mangoes, Mushrooms, Okra , Onions , Oranges, Papaya, Passion Fruit, Peppers, Potatoes, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Watermelon.


AUGUST: Asian Pears, Atemoya, Avocado, Bananas, Blackberries, Carambola, Grapes, Guava, Limes, Mangoes, Mushrooms, Okra, Onions, Papaya, Passion Fruit.



SEPTEMBER: Asian Pears, Atemoya, Avocado, Bananas, Blackberries, Carambola, Eggplant, Grapes, Guava, Limes, Mangoes, Mushrooms , Okra, Onions, Papaya, Passion Fruit, Squash, Sweet Corn, Tangelos, Tangerines, Tomatoes.



OCTOBER: Asian Pears, Atemoya, Avocado, Bananas, Carambola, Eggplant, Endive, Escarole, Grapefruit, Guava, Limes, Mushrooms , Okra , Onions , Oranges, Papaya, Passion Fruit, Peppers, Radishes, Squash, Sweet Corn, Tangelos, Tangerines, Tomatoes.

NOVEMBER: Avocado, Bananas, Broccoli, Cabbage, Canistel, Carambola, Carrots , Cauliflower, Celery, Chinese Cabbage, Cucumber, Eggplant, Endive, Escarole, Grapefruit, Honeydew Melon, Limes, Mushrooms , Okra , Onions , Oranges, Papaya, Passion Fruit, Peppers, Pummelo, Radishes, Squash, Strawberries , Sweet Corn, Tangelos, Tangerines, Tomatoes.



DECEMBER: Avocado, Bananas, Broccoli, Cabbage, Canistel, Carambola, Carrots , Cauliflower, Celery, Chinese Cabbage, Cucumber, Eggplant, Endive, Escarole, Grapefruit, Honeydew Melon, Kumquat, Limes, Mushrooms , Okra , Onions , Oranges, Papaya, Passion Fruit, Peppers, Pummelo, Radishes, Squash, Strawberries , Sweet Corn, Tangelos, Tangerines, Tomatoes, Watermelon.

--Originally published in Mandarin NewsLine. Reprinted with permission.