Shopping for groceries can have a positive impact on the environment, your budget, the community you live in, and the nutritional value of your meals. This is why we are seeing an increase in the local food movement, from “100 mile diet” campaigns to food action coalitions helping restaurants and grocery stores support local food providers.

For the individual grocery shopper, this means taking the time to browse and shop at the retailers that stock locally grown and produced food within British Columbia (Canada). Fortunately, Dave and I also live in an agricultural paradise, and this special community truly cares about the health of its valley. Most Creston BC restaurants and grocery stores offer locally grown food.

Going a step further, gardening in your garden, on your balcony, in front of the window or next to a walkway can also have a positive effect on the environment. In fact, Dave and I grow much of our own food in our gardens. What we cannot consume or process ourselves, we can share with friends, clients and neighbors. We use the local small brewery to convert the berries and fruit juices we produce from our harvests into a beautiful wine for only $ 6 a bottle. As such, we spend around 60% less than we would if we didn’t farm.

It is well known that every inch of green space is very important to the health of the environment, to mitigate climatic extremes and to provide a habitat for birds, butterflies and bees. Growing plants actually cook and clean the air, improve the soil, and generally make the world a better place.

Farmers and gardeners play a vital role in creating an important habitat for wildlife. They also stimulate the local economy by buying supplies ranging from fuel to tools, seeds and soil amendments, and they also hire seasonal help locally.

Did you know that collected foods begin to lose nutrients immediately? The longer they are stored, continually leaching nutrients, the less and less economical they become. Choosing to buy fresh produce and grow what you can results in delicious and nutritious meals that are less expensive and have less packaging. This also means that our food has a lower impact than fossil fuels due to low transportation mileage.

For these reasons, you will find that small changes in shopping habits can affect your family’s financial and physical health, as well as benefit the local economy and help the planet as well.