Local Food Challenge SLC

Today in Salt Lake City a group of people will be taking up a challenge to eat locally; and I don't mean merely going down to the local grocery, or restaurant. To this bunch, led by Andrea and Michael Heidinger of Salt Lake City locally takes on a more literal meaning. They want to eat only foods that are grown and produced within 100 - 250 miles of Salt Lake City. It's no surprise to most of us that much of our foods are grown in other states and in many cased far off countries. The methods of transporting these foods to our tables consume huge amounts of energy mainly in the form of fossil fuels thus adding to the greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere as well as to our dependance on oil.

Nationwide there is a movement of people gravitating toward re-localizing thier diet and eating "slow food". Many embrace this idea for it's benefit in reducing harmful greenhouse gasses, some to support local agriculture and others to take back control of their diet and decide what is truly in the foods that they feed their families. Whatever the reason I agree with it. It can only benefit a person, family, community to support their local economy and to control their diet.

I encourage you to explore this idea further and agree with the Heidingers suggestion to take a first step if you haven't considered this before, or take a step futher if you are already trying this to some degree. You'll learn more about your community, potentially make some new friends, and help move us towards a greener Utah.

You can read more about the Heidingers and the local food challenge here:

http://localfoodchallenge.blogspot.com/

SL Tribune

Catalyst Magazine