Shop Local - It really makes a difference
Thank you for being a great neighbour!
Every time you head to your neighbourhood store to fill your fridge or stock your pantry, you are making more impact than you might realize.
Benefit your health
Local = Seasonal, so when you choose a local shop, and they offer you locally grown and prepared foods, that food is fresher and can be cleaner (less pesticides or preservatives). Fresh, clean foods are nutrient-rich, health supporting foods.
There are also many health benefits to engaging with your community and others. The effort of walking to the store and personal interactions will do as much for your emotional heart and sense of well-being as it will for your physical heart and energy levels.
Support your economy
Money spent in your neighbourhood, stays in your neighbourhood. That may seem like an obvious statement but actually consider that. When you buy broccoli from a farmer down the road, that farmer then went on to spend that money at a hair salon nearby or at your cousin’s restaurant. When your hard-earned dollars end up in a Californian farmer’s pocket, they are spent at a Californian restaurant or hair salon.
Protect your environment
When we talk about shopping local for food, we are usually thinking about food miles. This refers to how far that food had to travel to get to your grocer and your table. It’s not hard to understand how food found closer to home will mean less negative environmental impact – not only in less fuel consumed to get there but also less energy and materials needed to keep things packaged and/or chilled for the journey.
Another positive impact made by demand for local produce is the diversification of the agriculture in the area. When we are looking to fill our baskets with a variety of local foods, it reduces the need for “monoculture” or single crop farming. This protects your soil – a broad range of crops = nutrient rich earth.
