Earth Day Everyday

Today people around the world celebrated Earth Day, a tradition established in 1970 in an effort to cultivate a greater awareness and respect for the Earth and our environment. Originally designed as a way to bring attention to the problems of overpopulation, it has evolved over the years to reflect a more comprehensive set of issues, including global warming, conservation and clean energy.

As the celebration has become more widespread, we've also seen a sharper focus on education about the everyday habits that people can adopt or modify to become more eco-friendly. Recycling has long been a prime example, but so have campaigns centered on energy use and water conservation.

We started 100 Mile Harvest out of a desire to radically cut the number of miles our food traveled. At the time, the locavore movement was starting to establish itself, popularized by books like Plenty by Alisa Smith and J.B. McKinnon, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. The idea of Slow Food was also reaching a larger audience, and we felt compelled to shake up our diet (and shake out our pantry).

What we've learned over the course of the last 11 months is that this decision has been less about that "momentous" turning point, and much more about the daily practice. Every day, at every meal, we have the opportunity to prepare wholesome, delicious food that we know is not only healthy, but was also produced in a sustainable manner. And we've learned not to take any of our food for granted; everything served at our table was carefully picked and lovingly prepared. We know exactly where our food comes from, and nothing goes to waste.

As you reflect on what Earth Day means to you, remember that daily actions don't have to involve the city's waste department or your local power company...it can be as simple as making a commitment to buying and eating local, seasonal food.

P.S. We stepped out of the supermarket and into the farmers' market with more questions than answers. If you have questions or want to discuss your experiences, check out the Locavore Forums.