Keira-anne.com

…And You’re Running Out of Time

What did you have for dinner tonight? What was on the menu for breakfast and lunch? For most of us, turkey’s been on our plates at least once during the last 24 hours. Have you given much thought to where that turkey comes from? And further, have you considered where your vegetables were grown or the wheat from your bread harvested?

Photo courtesy of Port Alberni Farmers’ Market on Flickr

Last week I watched a story about something known as the 100-Mile Diet during the local evening news. Though I wasn’t paying close attention at the time, I understood that the idea behind the 100-Mile Diet is to only purchase food products that come from within 100 miles of your home. As my family gathered around the feast spread before us last night, my “uncle” Jim and I were discussing local produce, meat, dairy products and anything else edible. He said that it’s quite frightening because, all too often, we as a society are always in far too much of a rush to take a moment and consider what we’re consuming and what kind of treatment that product has gone through to reach our tables.

Photo courtesy of bchow on Flickr

Did you know that the average food product travels 1,500 miles before it hits the shelves at your local grocery store?

Alisa Smith and James McKinnon are two Vancouver-area authors based in Kitsilano who penned the book “The 100 Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating,” which was published in March, 2007. They’re quick to point out that, as British Columbians, we have a wealth of excellent, hearty and healthy food running the entire gamut of the Canada Food Guide at our fingertips. The book was based on their experience of a year-long experiment to eat only foods produced within 100 miles of their Vancouver home.

Photo courtesy of Natural Pastures Cheese Company

So why jump on the bandwagon? From the outset, yes, an endeavour such as the 100-Mile Diet will probably be a costly one because choosing to buy locally will most definitely ding your pocketbook a bit more than shopping the flyer sale at Safeway. But let’s look at some good reasons for doing so:

1. Buying locally will support both your local business owners and your community’s economy;

2. Every little bit makes a difference, and one person choosing to purchase only locally-made produce is one less meal that needs to be delivered over 1,500 miles (and thus you’re helping in part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions);

3. When you buy a jar of BeeMaid honey, for example, that honey is mass-produced and mass-marketed. It’s part of a business and the business is making money, not honey. Because local small business owners literally depend on their products with their livelihoods, much more care and concern is going to go into the product itself and into the quality being delivered to consumers - thus, it’s healthier for you; and

4. Shopping within 100 miles isn’t as difficult as you may think!

As I said, British Columbia is a hotbed for fantastic food, homebaked breads, creamy cheeses, divine wines and fresh produce. It’s true that purchasing all food products from local producers isn’t going to be realistic for everyone, but there are some things that you can do. Purchase your wines and beer from local vintners and breweries, visit a farm market on the weekend instead of stopping in at your local grocery store, or treat yourself and pick up some Vancouver Island-produced cheese. Not only is this doable, it’s fun and delicious too!

For ways in which you can join the 100-Mile club, so to speak, visit some of the following links:

100-Mile Diet
Seasonal British Columbia Produce
Local Food Directory

——————————————————

If you haven’t done so already (like myself), you have less than a week to witness a slice of nautical history at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria.

Running until Sunday, October 14th, Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition bring over 250 artifacts recovered from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean in one of the greatest-known tragedies at sea. Aside from featuring items that offer a glimpse into life aboard the “unsinkable” ship, the museum has reconstructed corridors and cabins, is offering education stations and has brought the ship to life with actors in period costumes taking on the roles of some of her most famous passengers, including Molly Brown.

For you self-confessed “IMAX freaks” out there, the adjoined National Geographic IMAX Theatre takes you under the waves and onto the deck of the sunken vessel for a first-hand look with “Titanica.”

What: Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition/Titanica at IMAX
Where: Royal BC Museum and National Geographic IMAX Theatre (675 Belleville Street, Victoria, British Columbia, Telephone: 250-356-7226)
When: Now through Sunday, October 14, 2007

For more information on prices, directions, hours of operation and other exhibits featured at the museum and at IMAX, visit the following websites:

Royal BC Museum
National Geographic IMAX Theatre

I’ll be hopping over to Victoria this coming Friday after work to check it out with my friend Antonio (who’s one of those self-confessed IMAX freaks), so look for me there!

Photo courtesy of the Royal BC Museum

——————————————————

And lastly, unbeknownst to almost no one, Halloween is just around the corner and fast approaching in only 20 days. If you haven’t had a chance to even start about thinking about a costume yet, now is the time!

My friend Matthew has been running an online costume site for a couple years now, and you can easily find nearly anything you’re looking for on there, whether it’s an idea from scratch or the finishing accessory to your perfectly-planned secret disguise.

Sorry about this blatant plug, but his stuff is awesome. Head on over to Costume Cauldron if you haven’t already.

Photo courtesy of agoodveilsays on Flickr