How I did it: For a week or so, make a list of every ingredient in every thing you eat.

Next to each thing mark whether or not it's local.  You can define local however you want.  I live in Seattle, so I defined it as Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and southern BC.  It's about a 400mile radius (that's pretty lenient).

If you eat prepared food (frozen entrees) or restaurant food, you can assume it's not local unless you know for sure that it is.

At the end of the week, look at all the not-local things and figure out if you can do one of the following:

1. Get it locally
2. Replace it with a food that you can get locally
3. Live without it (good for prepared/frozen foods)

Pick one thing a week, and gradually make the replacements.

For instance, I cut out some stuff like fake bacon, and replaced maple syrup jam.  Venessa started gardens at our house, her grandma's house, and a p-patch.

Resources:

• Farmers markets.  You are literally guaranteed to buy local foods there so you don't have to worry
• If you live in an area serviced by Amazon Fresh, they have a "local" filter to only show local products
• Shop at a PCC or other natural grocery store, where they are more likely to show the origin of foods on the price tag.
• Start a garden or p-patch (or make friends with someone who does...they usually have extra produce)
• Look into canning.  It's a great way to spread out summer's glut of produce throughout the year

---

Sep 26, 2008, 10:30AM PDT | 0 comments | 1 cheer