Happy Earth Day!

Earth Day is a great opportunity to take a little time to reflect on your current lifestyle. Are there any small changes you can make to do your part? Being green isn't about saving the planet overnight, it's about making little things that add up! Looking at your diet is a great way to transition to a greener lifestyle. It's all about making well informed decisions as a consumer and doing whatever you can to make a difference.

Tonight I decided to plant some herbs (parsley and basil) for myself. If you have a little bit of garden space, or even a window box, planting vegetables, herbs, and fruits can really cut down on your grocery bill. Take advantage of the gorgeous spring and summer weather that is upon us! Your wallet and your waistline will thank you.

Some other suggestions for you...

• Support your local Farmer's Market. Yes, I know the produce is a little more expensive than at the grocery store, but it is local and fresh and you can actually meet the growers! Some of the produce in your grocery store was picked WEEKS ago and traveled hundreds to thousands of miles to get to the produce department. By then, the vitamin and mineral count has really suffered. And the meat products sold at farmers markets grazed pastures at one time, and the meat is much less likely to be tainted with hormones, fillers, and antibiotics... and just like the produce, it is FRESH!

• Buy produce that is in season. By purchasing produce that is in season, you are probably cutting down on the products food miles. Food miles refers to how many miles a product is transported to get to its final destination. On average food travels 1500 miles-- That is more than the distance between Massachusetts and Florida!

• Along with buying in season, you can go one step further and try to become a locavore. A locavore is somebody who makes an effort to purchase all of their food locally. Typically "local" is defined as to be within a 100 mile radius of your home. Farmer's Markets and Farm Stands are a great way to start. Investigate where the produce, meat, and dairy is coming from in your grocery store.
  

• And if possible, consider becoming the proud owner of a CSA share. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and it refers to buying a share of land at a local farm. This can range anywhere from $200-$650 per season (usually May-Sept) depending on the farm and what the share includes Each week, you will pick up a bag of fresh produce. Aside from the cost of the CSA, the farm may require you to get your hands dirty and work on the farm. For more information about CSA's check out the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture website: http://www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/csa.htm.

• Become a flexitarian, or in other words, a meat eating vegetarian. More specifically, a flexitarian is one who eats mainly vegetarian meals, but allows flexibility to splurge on meat occasionally. A flexitarian will buy local meats whenever possible & will try to seek out restaurants which serve locally harvested goods. The meat industry in America has shifted from animals roaming the land grazing on grass and basking in the sunlight to factory farms where animals are forced into crowded, dark farm houses where they never see the light of day. These factory farm animals are fed hormones and antibiotics which make them grow at an unnatural pace. I am not saying all meat is bad, but don't be naive; it is your right as a consumer to be well informed about the sources of your food.

If you haven't seen the documentary Food, Inc. yet, I really encourage you to check it out! PBS.org is streaming the movie for free on their website. Here is a link: http://video.pbs.org/video/1472879887/ It is only available online until the 29th so take advantage of it. It's a very educational and informative film about our nation's food industry.

HAPPY Earth Day! Now get out there and smell the flowers, hug a tree, and buy local whenever possible <3