Local Eating

It is often thought that cities are anti-green, anti-nature, and anti-environment--an easy thought to have on first look. Just look at my area, the New York metro area, and all the concrete, asphalt, grime, pollution, and debris. Yet, per capita, cities like New York actually use less energy and produce less waste than many other areas in the country. The City vs Nature debate is not where I want to be writing today, perhaps at another time. I do want to make one observation on food and eating.

It is very easy to buy and eat locally produce (often organic grown) here in New York. This weekend my wife and I went to the Union Square Green Market where all sellers must be from the New York regional area and the sellers must also be the producers (i.e. no middlemen). So now we have locally produced goat cheese; lamb sausage from a farm in Upstate New York (where we sometimes also get wool); Jersey raspberries and blackberries; purple carrots, radishes, greens, onions, and fingerling potatos from a New Yorkfarm. To top it off we went to Whole Foods the next day and were able to get organic eggs, organic milk, and organic cottage cheese all from the region (see Organic Valley Cooperative), as well as tofu made in PA.

Why buy and eat locally produced, organic food? Check out the thoughts of Michael Pollan for starters.