Scientists at the United Nations Climate Action Summit, along with youths led by Gretta Thunberg, presented the urgent need for immediate climate action related to de-carbonization, biodiversity and removal of CO2 from the atmosphere. We can all respond to this urgency with our food dollars and increasing our support for sustainable farmers who are leading the way in these areas. We need changes in how food is produced and distributed, including better soil management and crop diversification. Imagine if all our food was grown productively by farmers that rejuvenate the soil with composting, crop rotation, organic practices and cover cropping, not only making the food healthy and delicious, but also removing and sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the soil effectively. The goal to capture 1 trillion metric tons of carbon dioxide worldwide is supported by The Rodale Institute, Soil Health Institute, Indigo Agriculture and others that see this focus as key to fighting climate change. The Marin Carbon Project states that regenerative farmers can capture 1 metric tons of carbon on approximately 2.5 acres of land just using composting techniques alone.
The U.N. Panel on Climate Change also calls for changes in consumer behavior. First, we can demand and purchase sustainably grown foods from local farms that grow diversified crops which then travel many fewer miles to our plates. When you eat food that is locally grown, say within 100-250 miles, you are likely to save 1,250 or more food miles and reduce the use of fossil fuels for food transportation. Supporting the growth and success of existing carbon sequestering local farmers, is the best way to encourage more farmers to join the green food revolution, especially after this year of tariff wars. We can incentivize more farmers to transition to growing crops for human consumption (rather than corn and soy for biofuel and animals), reducing deforestation in the process. Second, we need to be less wasteful by buying, preparing and consuming just what food we need. In developed countries, overproduction in the food service, hotel, supermarket and restaurant industries, as well as in our homes, is the leading cause of food waste.
If you want to do more to fight climate change, then act with your food purchase dollars to support local sustainable farms. At Irv & Shelly’s Fresh Picks we are dedicating our lives to this and we take this mission seriously. We partner with and support dozens of farms using these regenerative practices so we can deliver their fresh foods grown in the most earth healing way.
An open letter from Shelly Herman, of Irv & Shelly's Fresh Picks, CFBN Member Company
