...Become a Locavore.... Join the movement! Would you give up your morning coffee or even treats like chocolate if doing so helped the environment and the local economy? A growing number of people including me are willing to make such culinary sacrifices for the sake of their environmental and economic principles. People who make such sacrifices are known as locavores or localvores. Locavores limit their food supply to what is grown and produced within a restricted mile radius. According to TLC Cooking, locavore use a 100 mile radius (150 kilometers) as their guide to eat locally. By becoming part of the locavore, people can enhance the economic and environmental /social health of their communities. Before I encourage you all to become part of the movement, I will first explain the harmful costs associated with not eating locally, second I will propose the ways of becoming a locavore, and third I will explore the benefits of committing to such a lifestyle. When you consume food that travels from far distance rather than eating locally, there are more planetary and monetary costs. Did you know that the average fresh food item on our dinner table travels 1500 miles? With that much traveling, tremendous amounts of fossil fuels are consumed, which means there is a higher rate costs for transportation. Not only does this contribute to monetary costs, but it contributes to planetary costs as well. Due to the increased amount of transportation, larger amounts of paper and...
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...developing nation, we have many changing opinions over which food is better for our health-- organic, locally grown, or imported. A current food trend experienced throughout the nation, the locavore movement has gained popularity, a movement in which people only eat locally grown food. Despite the fact that locally grown foods are known for their extra nutrition, the locavore movement is unnecessary and not as beneficial as many think, because of its inability to reduce pollution, the impracticality to eat only locally grown food. Many think that the greater nutritional value of local foods as they are harvested and sold sooner is an important reason to eat locally. However, the nutritional difference is minimal. Locally...
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...food products that were harvested locally, this is called the “locavore” movement. While the locavore movement brings the consumers healthy and fresh food, this movement also damages, alters the global economy and hurts the farmers worldwide, it also is difficult to practice. The locavore movement brings many health benefits to the consumers. Locally grown food products contain much more nutritional value than non-locally grown food products shipped over the world. Food at the local market was picked within the 24-hour period (Maiser), which means several things. First, the food has less susceptibility to contamination (Maiser). Since locally grown food travels less distance from the farm to the buyers than the same product ships from another country, Locally grown food will have a much lower chance of carrying diseases or harmful contamination. Second, food products that travel less distance has less time to lose their nutritional values (Smith and MacKinnon). This means that buying food locally will ensure the consumers to have food that has high nutritional values, however a person making smart choices on the global market can still easily meet the body’s need. Third, fresh produce tastes better, many consumers believe in better tasting food than healthier food, so buying food locally is a win-win situation, the food is guaranteed to taste good and at the same time contain tons of nutrients. While the locavore movement offers nutritious and fresh produce, it...
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...trip to the nearest market. “The increasing reliance on foods shipped halfway round the world. Because long-distance food shipments promote profligate fuel use and the exploitation of cheap labor (which compensates for the profligate fuel use), shifting back to a more locally sourced food economy is often touted as a fairly straightforward way to cut externalities, restore some measure of equality between producers and consumers, and put the food economy on a more sustainable footing.” (Source E) buying local would also improve this issue. The monster farm industries who belch smoke are not the small-town farmers you find at the market they're the ones sending their products to mass markets in far-off places. If more and more join the locavore revolution, however these production giants will be forced to downsize to a more regional...
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...By evaluating the extent to which the locavore movement has influenced society, the reader contemplates how this new tactic grants people the opportunity to eat locally harvested products. Moreover, as a result, the author of this argument relies on articles B and F to analyze the aspects of this new trend by meticulously scrutinizing the effectiveness its nutritional value as well as other aspects influencing the ordeal such as the product’s distance traveled. Through article B, the author underscores the benefits of the locally grown foods by expounding on how these have a greater level of nutrition for they “travel shorter distances;” however, the author brings a counterargument that states that a person does not necessarily need to eat locally in order to be healthy. Since many any, or most, “global megamart[s]” can provide the human body with an equal nutritional value, to engage in a locavore lifestyle by eating right from farms is not of imperative need. Furthermore, in order to reinforce and sustain the credibility of his argument, the author incorporates the views of Marion Nestle, a dietician and college professor, to create his line of...
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...spring since I was a child, my father and I would plant a garden that would provide my family with vegetables for the summer. From tomatoes to potatoes, my dad grew them all, and what he could not grow we picked up from a local farmer less than a mile away. However, after September when all our crops have been eaten, we would have to get our produce from the supermarket. We, like most people, do not have access to fresh local foods all year long. Which is one of many issues a community should take into consideration before starting a locavore initiative. The greatest concern is that many people live in places where they cannot eat fresh local produce all year. As well as the many people who do not have access to local produce at all as seen in Source G with the igloo in Antarctica. However, some people would also be able to eat the locavore diet if they could get food from places that may not be local. For example, people in Indiana who lived as locavores could live off of corn, soy beans, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, green beans,...
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...Locavore Lush When someone first hears about The locavore movement they don't think about its positive effects, instead they think about only the time and energy they will have to provide to find food that has been grown locally. They refuse the fact that the positive sides to eating locally out way the negative. For instance, the locavore movement can provide a way to positively affect local economies as well as provide citizens with healthier, fresher food. Food purchased locally will be more nutritious, healthier, and safer than food purchased from far away places because the nutritional value of food decreases over time. Food purchased from stores that sell in bulk or ship in their food over long distances has product that was “... in...
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...The locavore movement that has gained popularity in the US over the past several years offers a way to increase one's health, support the local economy, and promote global ecology by making some simple changes to the way that you and your family eats. Although being constantly criticized for being far more expensive than eating factory-farmed food, the truth is that the costs of home gardening and the prices for which you can purchase food at your local farmer's market are often less expensive alternatives then buying from a chain grocer, not to mention safer and more nutritious. It has been stated that organic food is more likely to be healthier than food that is said to be healthy, such as produce from Wal-Mart. Food that has traveled a long distance is more likely to lose its nutrition, whereas “food that has traveled a...
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...A locavore, someone who eats locally grown or produced products as much as possible, is becoming a point of controversy. The debate of whether or not the locavore movement would benefit society is something that scientists and environmentalists all over the world are talking about. Although eating food grown from afar has benefits, all people need to synthesize with the locavore movement because of its positive effects on the environment and consumers’ health. To start, the locavore movement helps the environment. While many people buy food produced in another state or country, they don’t realize the long journey to get the food to their grocery store. When food is transported across states or countries, the trucks, planes, or trains in which transport the food is creating “environmental damage”(source A). Although there isn’t a massive...
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...The locavore movement is necessary, that's why it has spawned for various reasons, the forefront reasons is the economy, local business support, and the healthiness of local foods. "According to a study by the New Economics Foundation in London, a dollar spent locally generates twice as much income for the local economy" (Maiser. J.). How great would that be? For our economy to become or earn a much desire financial status, all we have to do is eat healthy. Source E agrees that we are helping the economy, " A movement that is gradually reshaping the business of growth and supplying foods to Americans."Economic forces that helped the food production become centralized and rationalized did the same to our population" (Roberts.P.). Being healthy and helping comes and goes, but the wide-spread movement has been around for the past decades. Continued or continuing to shape our lifestyle as well as our economies. Knowing that the economy has a lot to do with the locavore movement it will allow us to make a decent living while giving customers access to healthy, fresh food at affordable prices....
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...The Fresher, The Better It is undeniable that food is essential for survival. What makes food enjoyable is the limitless array of flavors beyond sweet, sour, bitter, or salty. However, what plays a major role in how food tastes is where the food is grown. Depending on freshness, food that is not grown locally will not taste as good as food that is produced locally. Therefore, eating food that has been grown locally will make a difference in one’s diet. Locally grown food will benefit our health and our environment. One will notice the enhanced taste, making the food more flavorful. Locally grown food has many perks including the difference in taste, higher nutritional value, supports the local economy, promotes safer food supplies, and the locals can always tell you where the food came from. The United States is the number one site where obesity is prevalent because of what people eat. It is easy to eat on a low budget depending on the choices individuals make. People become obese when they start making unhealthy choices regarding their diet. If one decides to eat fast food and junk food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it will only be a matter of time before they start noticing health issues. In the article “Is Junk Food Really Cheaper,” Mark Bittman reveals that junk food is not cheaper than a home cooked meal. He argues that you could feed your family a home cooked meal for less than it costs to go to McDonalds. For example, he concedes that “two Big Macs, a cheeseburger...
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...Semester Paper: Food, Inc. “The way we eat has changed more in the last 50 years, than in the previous 10,000.” - Michael Pollan, Food inc. This single statement paints a vivid picture in ones mind. Not only is the way we grow our food changing, but we are also changing our bodies. According to the documentary “Food, Inc” , in the 1950’s, it would take farmers about 68 days to fully grow a chicken. Now? It takes about 47 days to fully grow a chicken, and it is twice as big due to the fact that these chickens are injected with hormones. While this literally brings more food to the table, it might not be worth it in the long run. There are many advantages as well as disadvantages that come with the industrialization of food. Using the chicken as an example. In the documentary, they explained that everyone loves white meat, therefor they make the chicken breast incredibly large to produce more meat from one animal. This is good in a sense that more food is being produced, but the truth is, it is changing, physiologically. According to an article written on mericola.com, girls as early of the age of seven are beginning go through puberty changes, something that was not happening until the ages of 12-13. Another disadvantage about the industrialization of food is the stuff we use to grow our food. Example? Most of our fruits and vegetables are grown using pesticides, which are to keep insects off of them. You may say “yeah keeping bugs off is good, i don't want a worm in my apple”...
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...basic premise given the arguments made in the article. While there would be benefits associated with creating a local market, the economics of it do not make good financial sense. Economies of Scale come to mind as there is clearly cost per unit of output advantages that our current industrial agriculture system makes possible. That savings is later passed on to society in the form of lower cost goods. Similarly, production efficiency is also realized by our current system as it allows for the higher output of specific crops originating from areas that are better climactically suited to allow for maximum growth/production. What we would be giving up as a society, or stated differently, the opportunity cost associated with moving to a “locavore-like” food production system would be too great to our economy and society. Furthermore, as the author pointed out, the health benefits associated with such a move would be minimal (if any). I cannot imagine any scenario where someone could argue this concept makes sense from an economic/cost perspective. If it is possible to make such as argument, I would be interested in seeing the math that follows it. As presented, I would have to agree with the author of this article. I cannot imagine the benefits of local food production outweighing that of our current industrial...
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...The Local Food Movement Benefits Farms, Food Production, Environment The Local Food Movement, 2010 Pallavi Gogoi is a writer for BusinessWeek Online. She frequently writes on retailing. Just as small family-run, sustainable farms were losing their ability to compete in the food marketplace, the local food movement stepped in with a growing consumer demand for locally grown, organic, fresh produce. In addition to supermarket giants following the trend toward locally grown food and devoting shelf space to such items, local foods are also finding their way into schools, office cafeterias, and even prisons. Although the trend toward organic foods has not waned, consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental impact caused when organic foods must travel to find their way to the local grocery store shelf. For this and other reasons, consumers are opting instead for locally grown counterparts, choosing to eat what is available in each season in their areas rather than purchasing food that must be shipped from other regions. Drive through the rolling foothills of the Appalachian range in southwestern Virginia and you'll come across Abingdon, one of the oldest towns west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. If it happens to be a Saturday morning, you might think there's a party going on—every week between 7 a.m. and noon, more than 1,000 people gather in the parking lot on Main Street, next to the police station. This is Abingdon's farmers' market. "For folks here, this is part of the Saturday...
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...The Local Food Movement: Going Green The food system is changing very fast nowadays. As we improve the quality of our life, we also develop the new ways to supply the population with food. Our growing population’s demand on food is enormous, and this demand led to the development of the processed food industry. This industry causes a lot of problems to humanity, harming the environment and health. But for the past decades our food system has significantly changed; new movements has occurred, and one them, the “locavore” movement, which supports the idea of the consumption of the locally grown food, is developing very fast. What do people mean by “local food”? According to the article “Local Food Systems: Concepts, Impacts, and Issues”, “the local food system is a concept, used to describe the distance between producers and consumers” (10). Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon, the authors of 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating, put the boundaries of 100-mile radius because as they say: “A 100-mile radius is large enough to reach beyond a big city and small enough to feel truly local” (qtd. in DeWeerdt 62). As this movement grows, more and more people are becoming interested in local food system, and in particular, in its benefits to society. People should eat the food, which was grown within 100 miles of their living place because the local food system can benefit the population in terms of health, environment and economy. Health is one of the most important issues in the local...
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