Buy Local! Buy Organic & Protect Your Health!

Do you ever shop organic at your local grocery store? Buying organic has its positives and negatives. On the negative side, organic products cost a bit more than conventional and don’t always look the greatest. And sometimes organics aren’t local, and therefore have a larger “travel footprint” than local, conventional produce for carbon emissions. However, consider the positives to see if they outweigh the negatives for you:  Purchasing fruits and vegetables (especially the dirty dozen) without pesticides or chemical residues on them can protect our health and that of the organic farm workers who aren’t exposed to potentially harmful substances. And fertilizers are converted from fossil fuels, so buying organic supports a more sustainable future for energy sources. This week, I bought local squash, zucchini and organic apples. Think outside of conventional  - support local farmers and your health by buying a portion of your groceries from greener sources! Take the pledge in this week's Friday Freebies contest and enter to win two organic cotton NC GreenPower tees (printed locally and planet-friendly by T.S. Designs in Burlington) AND a 1 pound bag of "breakfast roast" beans from organic and fair trade certified Cafe San Ramon, roasted locally by Counter Culture Coffee in Durham.

Ready to take the local food pledge? Join N.C.’s 10% Campaign and support the local economy! Visit your local farmer’s market or a find an “NC Farm Fresh” organic, pick-your-own or CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm near you. 

Learn about organic farming at NC Organic launched by NC State University, an Organic Agriculture Internet Source for North Carolina Farmers. You can also follow them on their NC Alternative Crops and Organics blog.