I have recently read a few very interesting books about eating locally. 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle' by Barbara Kingsolver was fantastic. I also tried reading 'The 100-Mile Diet', by Smith and MacKinnon, but I couldn't get into it quite as much. And not too long ago I read 'No Logo' by Naomi Klein, which did not focus on food, but did speak about how most of the products we purchase are manufactured in far off places. (If you only have time to read one, read the Kingsolver book).
All of this has made me think about trying to live more locally. It seems to be the current fad, a problem brought about by our current ability to move products around the globe at lightning fast speeds. While reading my current classic, 'Gulliver's Travels', I was rather shocked to find this statement that suggests that this issue has been around for much longer than I thought.
Whereupon I enumerated as many Sorts (of meat) as came into my Head, with the various Methods of dressing them, which could not be done without sending Vessels by Sea to every Part of the World, as well for Liquors to drink, as for Sauces, and innumerable other Conveniences. I assured him, that this whole Globe of Earth must be at least three Times gone round, before one of our better Female Yahoos (persons) could get her Breakfast, or a Cup to put it in.
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, 1726
1 comment:
I am afraid that if more people don't catch on to this idea, and I think they are, we will be left with only chains to eat at. We own a small family bakery and have noticed how over the last 27 years the family bakery is slowly fading away. Will anyone care, I often wonder?
Jenn
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