Locavore Essay (question 1)

          The Locavore Movement is becoming more popular nowadays and it promotes eating locally grown food or organically produced goods. As a result, it raised much controversy and diverse questions related to efficiency, nutrition and the economy. Locavores help the economy because of eating local foods and also themselves because of its freshness. Although organizing a locavore movement can consist of many difficult factors, the end result far outweighs the problems and it leads not only to a healthier environment but also a better economy.

            For the word ‘local’, there may be multiple definitions such as something local being “within a 100- mile radius” (Source B). It can also mean something that is just fresh and healthy. In any case, local foods are healthy and that is the best thing for the population. There are many benefits from eating local foods.

            When eating local foods, it comes from a close place where it has ripe naturally and has been shipped closely. Everything is a lot more natural because “the produce will be handled less” and locally grown fruit doesn’t have a to be ‘rugged’ or to stand up to the rigors of shipping” (source A). Many of the side benefits that can be looked upon as small but are big are that one can “eat foods when they are at their peak taste, are the most abundant and the least expensive” (source A). Also, they don’t only taste better but they also help the “open spaces- farms and pastures- an economic reason to stay open and undeveloped” (Source A), leading to a more natural environment.

             Eating locally not only provides a benefit only to a person’s nutritional value but also to the government, the money used and spent on foods, and farmers who plant the crops we eat. Studies have shown that the locavores “movement has been gradually reshaping the business of growing and supplying food to Americans. It accomplished something that no one believed would have been possible in a few years: a revival of small farms” (source E). The number of small farms increased 20% in the past six years to a number of 1.2 million. Therefore, going local has not only helped the neighboring community but worldwide. This movement would “provide much needed jobs at a local level and help to rebuild community” (source F). It “would also allow farmers to make a decent living while giving consumers access to healthy, fresh food at affordable prices” (source F). It’s the best of both worlds.

            Overall, the locavore movement can improve greatly and there is nothing to lose. The only factor in stopping it is laziness and the world can’t afford that. People look for solutions to find economic ways to support the community but this movement is the answer. It not only provides a fresher produce to people but it also would benefit the people financially because of the opening of new jobs.