Wade's First Essay

To Shop Local

Imagine for a second you decide to make a change in your life one that will propel you into a healthier lifestyle. You know the most important thing you have to do is to properly regulate your diet and exercise, but where to begin? So you think why not the health food section of my local supermarket? Things here look pretty good if somewhat unfamiliar so you grab a loaf of Ener-G White Rice Loaf bread off the shelf and take a look at the ingredients list on the back only to see words like Methylcellulose, Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose and Glucono Delta Lactone. It’s all the same unpronounceable words for artificial ingredients with no way to make sense of it all, but is there a better option out there?  Although many people enjoy the convenience and perceived savings of shopping at large corporate supermarkets, supporting our local Co-ops and from local farmers is important not only because these businesses do much to strengthen our community but they also support a far more wholesome and healthy life style. Shopping local not only helps the individual but the whole community.

Shopping local means that dollars that are spent locally stay local and continue to bolster the local economy. Economies survive only by the exchange of money flowing from one business to the next, from one person to another. Money spent at corporations and chain stores are sent out of the local economy while money spent locally continues to stay in the area. In order for the economy to function money must “flow” from one location to another, but when it becomes consolidated or stripped from an area that money ceases to support the economy through its exchange.

 If people value their health it is wise to not only shop locally but shop intelligently as well, and this truly becomes the area in which a Co-op shine. Co-ops like the local Astoria Cooperative empower their members beyond the normal routine of going up and down the aisles picking out the brands that look the most appealing based on the box they are packaged in, or the one that had that funny, witty touching commercial last week. Instead Co-ops provide the information necessary to make an educated decision. The one on one interaction with both the producers of the goods and, the farmers in the area give you the self-sufficiency to make healthy choices for both oneself and one’s family. An active effort is made through the use of pamphlet information, customer service, and product sourcing to make sure you are educated on foods you consume.

Co-ops like the Astoria Cooperative foster a sense of community for the members involved, from the farmers growing the food, to the members working the till, to fellow costumers, the Co-op has become a symbol of their collective statement; they care more for their health and the environment than the convenience of a one stop shop. This shared ideal lends a sense of community, a shared interest for which many members are not only knowledgeable but ready and willing to share their advice to the newly initiated. Such sentiments are furthered by one’s ability to effect the very products the Co-op may carry and the directions it will head in the future.

While some might think the relative cheapness and convenience of supermarket makes it the ideal location to select one’s diet these assumption rarely take in the true cost of the food we eat, but you ultimate get what you pay for. One may lessen their impact by shopping at local markets and Co-ops. Foods bought from local farms reduce the carbon foot print that food causes by traveling from the farm to their final location. Many foods you buy have never even seen a scrape of packaging, they come directly from the farm to the store. The foods at local Co-ops are often fair trade foods that don’t take advantage of farmers from foreign countries in the name of increased profits. As the conventional food system has become increasingly globalized, the risk of food safety problems, such as foodborne illness has also increased.  The consolidation of food production and processing, means that there are more possibilities for improper handling affecting massive quantities of food. Recent years have seen outbreaks affecting thousands of people being traced back to single farms and processing facilities. While it is true that one will run a higher bill when shopping for a local organic diet, but does spending a bit less outweigh the negative impact of cheapened foods?

Life is ultimately a game of “Co-operation” and if you want to do what’s best for yourself and those around you then play on the teams that’s playing for you. Shopping at your local Co-op will not only help your community, and increase your quality of life, it will probably cost a lot less than you might think. It’s time to be proud of what you eat.