Author: Claire Wayner ’22
This fall, I’ve been experiencing a lot of hopelessness about environmental work. From the wildfires in California to the rampant deforestation of the Amazon, it seems as if our planet is collapsing around us. COVID-19 and the lockdown has made me feel even more like a small cog in a big wheel. What can I possibly do to make amends, to heal this planet and our crumbling climate, when I’m stuck at home?
To my surprise, being at home has taught me a lot about how I can reduce my own impact on the planet through personal lifestyle changes. One small example of that is my increased efforts to shop locally. I’ve been visiting a weekly farmer’s market and farmstand, buying items like in-season tomatoes, peaches, and eggplant. In many cases, what we’ve bought has been cheaper than at the grocery store – not to mention that it is fresher and tastes better. In other cases, like the occasional meat we’ve bought, I’ve felt better about my personal carbon footprint, knowing that the meat traveled less of a distance and wasn’t raised on deforested land in the Amazon.
Photo Credit: Claire Wayner
Shopping for local food has also helped me to feel more supportive of my community. Grocery stores are large, brightly lit, and often sterile-feeling. Especially during COVID’s lockdown, I’ve been itching for social interaction. By shopping local, I feel more connected to the food production process, knowing where my food has come from and knowing that my payment is going to directly benefit farmers in my area.
Buying local is also not limited to food. Many businesses near you are probably suffering because of the economic lockdown. By patronizing local establishments instead of ordering what you need online, you’re helping to keep your city alive while minimizing your carbon footprint (online shopping adds a lot of emissions when it comes to transporting the goods to you). Check out your local bookstore, or order a meal from a local restaurant (in my next blog post, I’ll talk about how to recycle a lot of the single-use takeout waste you get).
Photo Credit: Claire Wayner
So how have you been shopping local? Leave us a comment with a photo or two!