How Walmart Is Becoming More Eco-Friendly By Selling Local Produce

The big eco-food news today is that Walmart has decided to sell more local produce. According to the Associated Press, their President and CEO said, "our efforts will help increase farmer incomes, lead to more efficient use of pesticides, fertilizer and water and provide fresher produce for our customers”. Despite Walmart’s overall bad reputation, this is great news since local food is more sustainable (minimal transportation, fewer resources, less waste) and potentially healthier. It’s also important that more people understand the importance of eating food from farmers local to their region, and a big company like Walmart has the power to bring more attention to the matter. Whether or not you choose to buy your produce from them, let’s talk about why buying local food is a healthy and eco-friendly choice.

Definition of Local Food
Local food does not have a precise definition: it depends on where one lives in relation to where food is grown and the time of year/season. Many consider food local if it has been grown within 100 miles of where one lives, and those that eat this way like to refer to themselves as “locavores”. Keep in mind, if you decide to eat locally, the types of food you buy will depend on the season and your location in the world - for example, you will not be able to eat banana in the middle of winter unless you live in a tropical area. To put it in perspective, the average piece of produce travels about 1,500 miles from the farm to your table.

Health Benefits of Local Food
Unfortunately, just because a food is local does not necessarily mean that it’s healthy. Local food can still be grown with pesticides, chemical fertilizers, hormones, and antibiotics, so make sure to buy organic whenever possible. If farmers markets are in your area, go to them (and skip Walmart altogether) - this is a great opportunity to meet and speak to the people that grow your food and find out how they do it. You may find that even though they are not organic certified their food is practically organic - this is often because they can’t afford to pay for the certification. If you don’t have access to farmers markets, try to speak to the manager of your favorite market, and do research on the companies growing your food (many of them have websites).

However, local food tends to be fresher, which means they have a higher nutritional value and won’t need preservatives to last on shelves. Also, many believe that local food is better for our bodies because it is grown in the same climate where we are living - energetically our systems can become “confused” if we live in a cold climate but eat foods shipped in from warm regions.

If You Can’t Buy Local...
Buy organic and fair-trade food whenever possible, and try to purchase food from small, privately owned companies. It is also useful to focus on food that is as close to you as possible - if you can find something from 500 miles away it is much better than if it were from 3,000 miles away. And if you really want to make a difference, grow your own food! Start a garden in your backyard or balcony - even your windowsill can house herbs and small plants! Many cities have community gardens you can become a part of as well. Picking and eating food you spent time and care growing is incredibly satisfying (not to mention cost effective and healthier). 

Whitney Lauritsen is a filmmaker, environmentalist, and vegan who promotes healthy living on her site www.ecovegangal.com. She shares tips on how to be kind to your body and the earth via video, photography, and writing. You can find her talking about being healthy and green on Twitter and Facebook.