According to Environment Canada, transportation is the single largest contributor of carbon dioxide emissions - accounting for 30% of the total. One of the reasons for this fueling involves "food miles" which is the distance food travels from the field to your home.
What can the average person do to reduce these emissions? Here are a few suggestions from Jill Rhynard, a co-ordinator of health promotion at the Interior Health of the Okanagan health delivery area:
- buy local produce and support the local agriculture
- visit local u-pick farms and the farmer's market
- ask for and get local products at grocery stores
- grow your own fruit and vegetables, cook with a friend
- join a local community garden and/or support them
- grow tomatoes and herbs in your kitchen
- replace meat with vegetable protein sources (meat products use more resources)
- try veggie burgers and tofu instead of meat products
- avoid plastic bags and use cloth grocery bags
- buy products that have less packaging
- plan your trips to the grocery store with other errands
When you buy local and support the local community initiatives you not only reduce CO2 emissions, you also strengthen your ties with the community.
Source: Article by Jill Rhynard titled "Support your local farmer"
