<p>I think they potentially can be more nutritious especially when combined with sheet mulching/no-till methods , but I take lots of nutritional supplements anyway, my concern is I am trying to limit my neurotoxin exposure- I already have peripheral neuropathy, I have good blood pressure/cholesterol/not a diabetic, and it is quite painful and seems to be progressive-no idea of specific cause as of yet.
[National</a> Geographic Magazine - NGM.com](<a href=“National Geographic Magazine”>National Geographic Magazine)</p>
<p>As someone involved in horticulture, I am also quite concerned about genetic manipulation and chemicals, because history has shown us the ways that we identify as an easy/fast fix, ends up costing us dearly.</p>
Actually, I think ‘value’ or ‘weight’ or ‘distance’ are the variables which are equally important. Buying something 365 days a year that costs $1 certainly doesn’t have the impact of a vacation half way across the world.</p>
<p>I don’t know why someone buys local food. Are they trying to support the local economy? Are they trying to help the environment by minimizing transport costs/pollution?</p>
<p>In either situation buying a car or traveling most certainly are comparable.</p>
<p>
Things important to me? Learning. Motorsports. Health. Family.</p>
<p>I’m just trying to understand why people by local. Because I haven’t deduced why someone buys “local” to support the local economy and then drives a $30K Subaru (which does very little to support the US economy). Or why someone wants to reduce environmental costs by purchasing local…then proceeds to do multiple vacations across the globe (polluting via aviation).</p>
<p>Or why someone wants to reduce environmental costs by purchasing local…then proceeds to do multiple vacations across the globe (polluting via aviation).</p>
<p>I guess we just aren’t black/white creatures.
I am allergic to dairy, but I will still have ice cream every once in a while, while I can count the round trip flights I have taken in my lifetime on one hand,( & I am 50+) I still recognize that air travel can be less stressful, make more economic sense for myself as well as save time, compared to other forms of travel- doesn’t mean I rule out walking/boating/driving, but sometimes air travel is appropriate don’t you think?</p>
<p>If reducing environmental costs were the true goal, then that person wouldn’t fly in a plane. They probably wouldn’t own a car. When I see someone buy local we are talking about someone who is probably making a $500/year commitment…to what? Better to just buy the cheapest stuff and then donate the money you saved straight into a fund for rainforest preservation or something.</p>
<p>I happen to believe <em>Organic</em> actually tastes blander. </p>
<p>I have no have no problems in buying local, but I know what it takes to grow certain crops having been a food processor and a grower. However, Quality, can mean a lot of different things to different people. </p>
<p>I like my food worm and snail free. </p>
<p>Anybody for zucchini? This hot weather in the PNW is making the things grow faster than their normal just fast.</p>
<p>So your point is that unless you reduce your adverse environmental impacts 100%, it’s not worth doing at all? I think that’s a crock. You do what you can. I buy local and organic because it’s better for the environment both locally and globally, and because in my opinion it tastes better–and that means a great deal to me. I also ride my bike to work instead of driving about 8 months of the year—about as long as I can stand to do so in this harsh Minnesota climate. For the rest of the year, I take public transportation rather than driving to work about 60 or 70% of the time. For cars, I try to buy those with the highest MPG ratings and the lowest emissions available. But do I have a car? Yes. Do I sometimes fly? Well, yes, mostly because my work requires it and it’s just not feasible (or frankly environmentally cost-effective) to get where I need to go any other way. So I’m not a purist. But so what? What’s your point? That because I reduce my carbon emissions only 50% relative to the typical American in my occupation and socioeconomic status, that therefore all these efforts are not worthwhile? That is just an utter crock of horse manure. I wish more people around here rode their bikes to work instead of driving; and in fact, more are, every year. But the way to get there is to set a positive example and encourage the small steps they take, not to snidely bash them for not doing more, all the while sitting back and doing nothing and justifying it on the basis of a bogus argument that unless you do all it’s not worth doing anything. Grow up, Mr Payne. You can be part of the problem or part of the solution. And you can choose to make the solution a bigger and bigger part of your life, and encourage others around you by the example you set. Or not.</p>
<p>I have bought organic milk and eggs for years and years, because I didn’t want the hormones of non-organic milk causing my daughter to develop breasts at age 7, among other issues with the hormones.</p>
<p>We don’t eat meat, but if we did, I would never buy the hormone, antibiotic filled meat in a regular supermarket. Just read “My Year of Meats” and then go buy yourself a big fat steak at the grocery store.</p>
<p>Slightly off-topic, that reminds me to plug my favorite do-gooder organization, the Nature Conservancy ([The</a> Nature Conservancy - Protecting Nature, Preserving Life](<a href=“http://www.nature.org%5DThe”>http://www.nature.org)). They preserve undeveloped land by simply purchasing it (among other related activities). I like this free-market approach better than lobbying and other nasty political games.</p>
<p>Hey! I agree w/Mr. Payne! He is talking about the closet do-gooders who go buy a hybrid car and drive it 3 times as much basically equating to driving an SUV everyday! And I am sorry but ANY Other way to travel BUT by air has GOT to be less environmentally impactful!! I think Mr. Payne is pointing to the hypocracy of most Americans lifestyles. We are kidding ourselves, and our kids are in deep trouble w/what is happening w/climate change. Organic food may or may not contribute to that footprint (in my opinion it does). Most Americans are getting a hell of alot more exposure to toxins (benzene, a known human carcinogen) by refilling their gas guzzlers at the pump than they could ever imagine getting by consuming conventionally grown produce.</p>
<p>The biggest culprit fueling obesity in the US is high-fructose corn syrup.</p>
<p>Allmusic, where do you live and from where does your organic milk come? You can buy RBST free milk if you wish, at least in the state where I live. I would never buy organic milk but perhaps that is because most dairy farms in my state do not use RBST. I have never heard of hormones being found in eggs.</p>
<p>Radannie–than you’ll be thrilled to learn that our hybrid sits in the driveway most of the time, because H and I both walk to work, all year long.</p>
<p>I don’t understand the thnking, that you agree with here, that as long as you can find an example of any one person being hypocritical or not pure, than any actual efforts others are making, should be written off. That logic escapes me.</p>
<p>But I’m with you on the high fructose corn syrup.</p>
<p>I buy local (from farmers markets) when I can because I like the taste of the food better. Right now, the corn and tomatoes are outstanding. I also like supporting our small local farmers as opposed to huge industrial food suppliers. </p>
<p>I think it’s fine for all of us to TRY to make small changes in our behavior to make a difference. Recycling, growing gardens, walking instead of driving when we can, supporting small local farmers, shutting off lights to conserve energy. As long as we don’t get preachy about it, what’s the harm? I have an old SUV right now…love it cause I have a slobbery dog who I love to take for walks near the river and I don’t like to keep him in the backseat. I don’t put many miles on it but I plan to keep it for a while. Gets horrible mileage though. Does that make me a hypocrite? So it’s all or nothing here? </p>
<p>Long Prime said:“I happen to believe <em>Organic</em> actually tastes blander.”</p>
<p>One of the things I’m enjoying about the June cooler tremperatures and wetter weather is that the produce from the CSA I belong to (Community Supported Agriculture) is that the 3-4 different kinds of lettuce I get every week keep rolling in. They have different teasts, some peppery, some lemony, others almost sweet. The CSA uses no pesticides - I don’t know if its “certified” or not - but this local organic produce has a much wider tasting palate than the regular store bought lettuce.</p>
<p>I also think that Mr. Payne is correct in pointing out the apparent hypocrisy of our psuedo-environmentalists – I mean pseudo only in that they (we?) do not go it 100% – but then who does ANYTHING 100%, except the very few whom we consider oddballs or worse.</p>
<p>The point is that YES it is worth doing SOMETHING to help the environment. Who knows, maybe down the road – after society at large has gotten used to doing even a little bit for our planet – we will then decide that we can do even more…</p>
<p>I feel that with Mr. Payne’s fondness for “motor sports”, as he stated, he just may be using our non-100% approach to justify his own attachment to something that is clearly an environmental issue.</p>
<p>there are a lot of foods that can be grown without a lot of pesticides if any at all. People sometimes equate that all massively grown foods must be have pesticides. </p>
<p>ie zucchini. No pesticides needed. But I sometimes wish that a bug with make off with at least half the crop. :)</p>
<p>It’s only hypocritical if they are lecturing others about it.<br>
Otherwise, what’s it to you if a given person recycles, turns off lights when not using them, uses heating or a/c sparingly, buys locally, buys a fuel-efficient car but then takes a plane vacation? Sounds like you have a major chip on your shoulder against people who at least make partial efforts.</p>
