Eco Friendly House And Garden

Watch this short video - and it will jolt you into reality!

Where do you think all your stuff comes from?  What happens when you get that new phone?  How can we get our stuff so cheap?  What is the real cost of our spending?

All these are answered in this lively, well animated and well written short video by a well traveled, very experienced environmental investigator specialising in health and justice issues across the globe.

It is filled with some scary facts about what we are doing to our planet - or in reality what we are not doing to help our planet.

It highlights - with a fact-packed dialogue - what we are allowing to happen or are being coerced into thinking is ‘OK’.

Annie quotes that the US represents just “5% of the world’s population but uses 30% of the resources and makes 30% of the waste”  Is that right?  Or is that just how it ended up because no-one has really ever thought it was wrong?

Think about it!
She certainly makes you think about everything you are going to buy - or anything you have recently brought.  And it should certainly make you think about anything you are planning to throw away!

The cost of something shouldn’t be the value that the store attributes to it.  For example the $4.99 radio she talks about in her video could not possibly have only cost $4.99 to make. 

Firstly, the store has to make a profit and it needs to be packaged up and shipped across the world from where ever it was made.  So none of that is what it actually cost to make either - so we are down to about maybe $3.00 or less to make?

And how long would you think 1 single radio takes to make from it’s basic parts? About 30 minutes?  No, that would be stupid, right?  But would you work for less than $6.00 an hour? I don’t think so.

So, how much money do the people that build these get paid?  And we haven’t even started on the people it took to mine the raw materials and the time it took to shape them into the component parts.  And what about driving and shipping costs?

And we haven’t even started on the cost to the environment…… 

Yet to some people, throwing out an un-needed $5 radio is not a worry to them - it’s only $5. They don’t even think about what was destroyed or who was exploited to make it in the first place.

And you can be sure that many people do not think about what happens to it after they throw it out!

Well, Annie explains all in her hard-hitting fact-filled docu-video - but keeps it fun and a bit funny even.

And you can help out by showing people, schools, social clubs or anyone else this video to help change that!  Check out the resources on the site for more information.

Renewing your magazine subscription on time is helping the environment?

I recently received a subscription reminder for my National Geographic membership - way in advance of my current subscription ending.  And I almost put it to one side.

Knowing that I would renew it - why did I leave it to one side for later?  Was it because I thought why give them my money several months before they needed it?  Was it because I was hoping to book a vacation and thought I’d leave the money in my account just in case? 

It doesn’t matter why - because I didn’t do it in the end - I paid for another 2 years (the most you can pay for in advance) there and then.

Why Was I So Prompt?
Firstly, I know that - like every other organisation in the world - they would remind me again nearer the time - sometimes several times in fact so there was no chance that I would forget to do it.  And that was one of the reasons.

Why create all that extra administration and paperwork and postage and energy waste - when all I needed was 1 piece of paper.

If you follow the possible paper and energy trail of not renewing until the last minute - it starts to get a bit messy……

1) Computer system at NG HQ flags my account up as needing renewing - so 1 staff member or just the computer software itself triggers the 1 renewal letter to be sent to me - along with the renewal form and their standard complimentary envelope.  It gets printed, gets posted and gets delivered to my door.

2) I receive the reminder and leave it on the side.

3) After receiving no reply, the NG computer triggers a further reminder letter, payment form and complimentary envelope which is printed, posted and delivered again.

4) I receive the reminder and immediately throw it away into the recycling - as I know I already have the original form - and I remind myself to send it off this time - but leave it a week or so.

5) The NG computer still hasn’t received my renewal and has passed through various screening systems that NG staff are no doubt monitoring and keeping details of.  This processing isn’t free and certainly uses up a lot of NG’s time and resources.

The system then triggers a final reminder letter for me - with the obligatory renewal form and envelope - all printed, posted and delivered.

6)  I receive the final reminder and am encouraged to act on it - sending the payment in the post - and throwing out the other reminder letter, form and envelope for recycling.

I’m also sure that if you allowed your subscription to expire - that most companies would continue to write to you to try to in you back again - wasting more resources and putting up the price of it in the process! 

I mean they can’t staff all those offices, computers and memberships and send all those letters for free every 12 months to millions of people!

What a waste!

And It Doesn’t End There…..
I have the choice to renew for either 1 or 2 years on the form - and if I only do 1 year - this all gets repeated every 12 months!

If you can subscribe for longer - do so.  Not only does this save on renewal paperwork - but it’s better for you!  You get to pay today’s price for it rather than the cost in 2 or 4 years time - which will no doubt be higher!

If memberships give you the chance to sign up by direct debit then do this instead as it saves them having to send out the renewal form and envelope to you - they just need the ‘Thank You’ letter to be sent every year.  You sometimes get a better deal this way too as you are saving them money.

If your membership company is a UK charity - then make sure you sign up for the Gift Aid scheme - where they can claim back the tax on your donation or membership fee - raising more money for something you believe in and support - and at no extra cost to you!

If you can, sign up for their details and/or magazines to be sent to you via email - saving on printing and postage.  Make sure that you also tick the boxes to say that you don’t want to receive whatever it is that you know you won’t read - that way you get less wasted mail - whether it’s their newsletter or junk mail.

If you are joining a company for the first time - make sure you tell them if you do not want their ‘joining’ gift.  Again, this will save them money and ultimately the environment as it won’t be affected by them getting it to you!

And Finally:
Unless it says FREEPOST only on the envelopes - always put your own stamp on the envelope so that the companies you are supporting can keep more money for themselves.

Companies or charities with more money in the bank (rather than being spent on postage and renewal letters) will ultimately stay in business longer, give you a better service and achieve their goals more successfully as a result!

There is now a water-saving, carbon-reducing, fuel-efficient, cost-effective and longer-lasting way to keep your windows clean!

Using advanced IT software and a specially designed solution, an established window-cleaning firm in London can now offer you just that. Whether you are a home-owner, tenant, tower block owner - or looking for commercial window cleaning in London - you can make use of their services.

It was quoted that a well known local car firm is now saving over £3000 each year on window cleaning by using this new technology to clean up their showroom!

Who Are They?
They are called NCPM247 and have been trading in the city since 1985. They are aiming to become the most eco friendly and technologically advanced window cleaning company in London.

They have become very aware of the restrictions on water use, the congestion in London, rising fuel costs, environmental issues and carbon emissions and also the ‘working at height’ government regulations and sought to find a way to work within these guidelines and still offer an excellent service. And, with an eye to the future.

They have also taken on board modern IT technology to improve their existing company. By taking advantage of the current rise in the use of and accessibility to satellite imaging software including Google Street View, they are able to offer instant (and exact) customer quotes.

Rather than arranging to drive to the customers property to give an accurate quote, they can offer a full quote while on the ‘phone during the first call, therefore booking the first appointment straight away. No extra journey needed - and no time out of your day to show them around!

What Makes Their Cleaning Different?
Firstly, they offer the ‘quote on the phone’ service as above to save time and money from the very start.

Secondly, they drive through London in their fleet of environmentally friendly cars!

Thirdly, they use their unique hydrophobic cleaning materials to keep your windows cleaner for longer. This ’secret ingredient’ coats your windows in a protective - and eco friendly - layer that actually repels water from it’s surface.

Therefore, when it rains, the rain itself is forced away from the glass and washes off any dust and dirt from the window! It creates virtually ’self-cleaning’ glass.

As a result of this, your windows will stay cleaner for longer - usually about 3 months longer - but can be as long as a year! Thinks of the savings in money with only 4 visits a year - and those reduced visits saving on fuel, time and carbon emissions! Things you won’t find with other greater or central London window cleaners
Check out their website for more information and to get a quote yourself!

Fourthly, the way the windows are cleaned actually uses only a tiny fraction of the water that would normally be used for window cleaning. Treatment of all windows (inside and out) with NCPM247 takes only about 1 litre of pure water for an average 4-Bed house. With standard cleaning techniques this rises to about 25 litres! Virtually unacceptable these days.

Add to this that the same house only needs about 4 visits a year to stay clean - that is only 4 litres of water a year. The same house would need cleaning at least every month with an ordinary window-cleaner - that’s a staggering 300 litres of water!  Not to mention all that driving!

There are many more things that are not eco friendly based that make this company stand out, including fully insured cleaners, security-checked staff, use of protective footwear when cleaning interior windows, abseiling staff for taller buildings, 9 meter cleaning poles to save use of noisy machinery and so much more.

Whether you care about the environment, the cost, or just a great first impression of your business from the street - it’s all in one here. You can’t go wrong!

Window Cleaners, London

It really is a light for your garden powered only by the wind!

Imagine sitting outside in your garden or on your balcony and you are being mesmerised by your spinning light! Sometimes it is a solid tube of color and other times it is a pulsating spiral of energy!

How Does It Work?
Well, there are 14 LED lights embedded on the edges of the product which are powered by the spinning of the FireWinder in the wind.

The Firewinder itself is made of 100% recyclable materials and is moulded in the shape of a helix. This way it can catch the wind from any angle and any strength.

Any breeze over a few miles-per-hour will spin the helix around - giving the illusion of a rising edge and in daylight this is more like a mobile than a piece of cutting edge eco-technology!

However, what makes it light up are the 14 LED ‘bulbs’ or ‘patches’ spread out all up the outside edge of the spiral which are powered by the tiny turbines inside.

As it is the outer rising edge of the FireWinder that has the lights on it - when the wind picks up, these lights spin around really quickly forming a continuous band of rising light around the lamp: See Light Spinning.

In slower winds the light pattern is mesmerising and moves upwards around the FireWinder at differnt speeds, sometimes throbing in the breeze. But at higher wind speeds, the lights stay solid and so you will have a what appears to be a static column of light 14 bands high!

It really is something to just stare at for hours!

Is It More Of An Ornament Then?
I suppose you could say that. I mean it is not going to be bright enough for you to read books by or offer home security features - but it will be a welcome edition in gardens during those warmer summer months.

FireWinder is I think the first and only wind-powered outdoor lighting product - all the others on the market are solar-powered - and offer a less fun form of lighting! However, if you don’t get a lot of wind then you best opt for these!

One great eco-friendly product for garden lighting are the solar-powered ‘rock’ lights. As their name suggests, they are plastic ‘rocks’ that have a tilted and so hidden solar panal on the top. By day they look like a simple stone and by night they emit a quite powerful beam of light.

These come in a range of different sizes and offer a more continous and reliable solid light in the garden than the Firewinders, but are not so amazing to watch!

There are of course plenty of more light-looking solar powered lights for your garden - some white, some colored and even some color changing lights - but you can’t beat the spiral effect!

Did you know that honey bees make onions and carrots grow?

Bees pollinate a huge number of plants, fruits and vegetables, and help to improve the yields of so many others. So without them, there may be less, smaller or no fruit and veg for us to eat!

Don’t Plants Just Grow Themselves?
Well, yes. All plants will grow into an adult plant or tree from a seed in the right conditions, but most will not fruit without pollination.

Pollination is where the male parts (the pollen) are moved from one plant to another by a bee, another insect or the wind (the pollinator) and join with the female parts (the ova) and make the babies if you like - and the babies in this case are the seeds. Most seeds are normally encased in fruiting bodies like apples, pears or nuts.

So, if for example, you enclosed an adult apple tree in a bee proof environment - it would produce blossom - but not any apples. The apples only grow once the flower has been fertilised, and the apples then grow from where the flowers once were. No pollination = no fertilisation = no apples.

The same is true for any flowering plant.

Can’t Something Else Pollinate Our Food?
Well, yes of course - some are pollinated by a variety of birds, insects or mammals - and many by the wind, but certain plants have evolved over thousands of years to work best with just 1 or 2 types of pollinators.

You may have seen the incredibly long flower tubes that only certain birds can reach into to feed, or the incredibly intricate ways that plants transfer pollen onto butterflies heads. Did you know that some plants will only release their pollen if stimulated by vibrating bee wings!

We can stimulate pollination ourselves if necessary, but it takes a lot longer and is nowhere near as effective long term. There is for example a town in China where villagers have to rub feathers across all their pear trees to make sure that they produce fruit - as they killed off all their own bees with pesticides.

This is all well and good for 1 small location where everyone chips in a bit of time for their own rewards, but imagine how many people you would need, how much time it would take and how much money it would cost to pay people to pollinate - by hand - the 60 million almond trees in California alone?

And this is just one crop. We farm a tonne of other more important crops - all of which will suffer if there are no bees.

What Can I Do?
Firstly, you can make sure that you limit or stop your use of pesticides or garden chemicals for ever and garden more organically. Bees are insects and so an insecticide used to kill those pesky aphids could well be killing bees too as well as butterflies and ladybirds - and possibly even birds and mammals.

Ladybirds which eat poisoned aphids could build up the toxins inside themselves before getting eaten by birds and passing these poison on up the food chain to larger birds or mammals! So insecticides can poison sparrows, falcons and even domestic cats!

Secondly, make a home for them! Now I am not suggesting that you need to set up a hive - you can easily make a home for a single bee in a tree or a hole in the ground and help to encourage wild bees (domesticated bees in hives cannot survive without human help) into your garden.

Make sure you leave wild areas in your yard - and make sure it has flowering plants in it so the bees can eat the nectar. A garden filled with decking and concrete isn’t going to make a good home for any animal!

Wild bees are just as good if not better at pollinating some plants and foods, but they live singly or in much smaller groups and don’t always want to live in the same hive. Your garden could supply the next home for some travelling bees - helping to keep your plants alive at the same time!

Thirdly, you could support local bee keepers by buying local honey - after all - their bees could be helping to pollinate your garden and local parks. They could also be creating all the yummy fruit you keep buying from your local farm store!

Nationally, Hagen Daz have made a Vanilla Honey Ice Cream to help highlight the plight of the honey bee (bees pollinate vanilla orchids if you didn’t know). By buying some of this delicious product - I have tried it myself - you can help fund research into what is causing the massive bee losses across the world - and hopefully prevent the honey bee as we know it ceasing to exist.

As a result, you will be keeping (excuse the pun) all those apples, pears, melons, cherries, blueberries, pumpkins, carrots, onions, broccoli, soya beans, almonds and sunflowers on your table!

That quick drive to the store before dinner could cost you your open spaces!

I’m not talking about the cost of car pollution on the environment - although that is becoming a major problem. And I’m not talking about the amount of front yards and gardens being concreted over for parking spaces - although this is seriously affecting natural water cycles and causing localised flooding.

What I’m talking about is your single little car on your ‘quick drive to the stores’ being one of 30 other little cars on a quick drive to the store.

How Can 1 Little Car Cause A Problem?
Well, imagine only the people that 100% need to be on the roads at rush hour were on the roads.  People going to work, emergency services and buses are who I mean here - and they all know where they are going.  As a result of their A - B actions, they may well run smoothly with no snarl-ups - I mean traffic lights and roundabouts are designed to keep traffic flowing to avoid congestion.

Now, add dithering drivers to the mix.  They either drive too slow, can’t decide which lane they should be in, are too busy fiddling with something on the passenger seat to watch the lights or are not in a hurry at all so make bad driving choices.

All these people are responsible for causing traffic delays - and these traffic delays get noticed by the residents and they want the traffic sorted out.  This can involve a whole host of changes.

Who Decides?
If residents get annoyed about traffic issues, councils want to implement more traffic regulations and traffic lights to control the flow.  They want to ‘improve’ the roundabouts and dual carriageways - which all make it more difficult for pedestrians to get around - what with all the railings and extra lanes to navigate.

The worst case scenario here is unfortunately the best alternative to traffic in towns - and that is to build a by-pass!  Heavy machinery is used here to plough out fields and woodlands to make way for a super-fast easy-to-drive-on dual carriageway!

I know that this won’t happen overnight - but it could already be happening.  Has your town got any roadworks going on?  Any ‘highway’ improvements at the moment?  Do you already have speeding cars and multiple junctions?

If you keep driving in rush hour or when you really don’t need to - you are causing some of these problems.  And there is a simple way to slow this development down - and it involves forward planning, buses, trains, bikes and your very own little feet!

So, you have read about the benefits of having a residential wind turbine to create your green energy - but are you going to buy a ready-made one or build your own?

Well, I have found a few helping hands for you if it’s the build your own option, from people who have been-there-and-done-that. Obviously every household has different energy needs and hopefully there will be something here for everyone.

The following ebooks can be downloaded straight to your home computer, so no need for all that paper or books to be made and posted out to you - you just read the information and only print the essential pages that you need!

Right, lets get going:
Green Energy 4 A Green Earth: Simple secrets to building your own wind turbines and also solar power energy. All this from a man with over 30 years electrical experience! Click Here!

Energy2Green: This is a really easy to follow and well laid out guide to making your own ‘windmills’ where you can start creating energy straight away - and therefore saving money! Filled with testimonials about it’s easy and effective techniques - you can get your wind turbine started for as little as $200 rather than costly ‘ready-made’ wind turbines. Click Here!

Homemade Wind Generator: from a couple who did it themselves and who are now live ‘off-grid’ and generating all their own energy - and if you are quick - they are currently offering you all their wind energy advice for just $10! They also offer other information about solar energy and building your own gas-free car! Click Here!

If you are still not sure about building your own wind turbine, and don’t mind paying the extra for peace of mind and for an instant result - then try a quick look at these 2 sites for ideas and prices:

In the UK: The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) offer small windchargers starting from as little as £300 - and many books as well. You will of course need to check the type of turbine you will need for your individual energy needs, as the smallest one may not power a larger or more energy consuming environment!. Orders over £40 in UK are free - but higher prices for worldwide delivery.

In the US: There are a whole load of energy companies that sell small residential wind turbines and this extensive list will certainly set you on the way to your purchase - US Small Wind Turbines

Finding a local manufacturer will also cut down on transport costs - as if you fly one from coast to coast it would take ages to ‘earn back’ the energy from the journey with just your wind output!

Let me know how it goes!

Small Scale Wind Turbines - Are They Worth It?

The simple answer is ‘yes’ of course they are - but the reason many people don’t buy and install large or small scale wind turbines is because too many reports base their decision on whether they are ‘cost-effective’ rather than whether or not they save ‘energy’.

This slightly detracts from the idea that we as a society are all supposed to be ’saving energy’ and turns it into whether or not you personally are ’saving money’.

If you genuinely want to live a more sustainable life then you should either buy or build your own wind turbine to reduce your dependence on fossil fuels - and help reduce the need (or excuse) for the government to build new coal-fired power stations.

I am well aware that there a financial constraints for all areas of our lives - including kids, holidays and mortgages - but if you have made a conscious effort to reduce your energy consumption then a wind turbine will of course take ages to ‘earn it’s cost back’ - as you are using less energy!

Wind turbines are more ‘cost effective’ if you use a lot of electricity on washing, drying, console games and heating and plan to continue to do so - as you will see the savings rack up a lot faster than those who are more energy-conscious.

So in my book, if you want to have an eco-friendly house - the cost shouldn’t be the main issue.

So, How Do Wind Turbines Work?
It all depends on something we have a lot of - and it’s free and carbon, nitrogen and methane free!

Wind turbines - as their name suggests - harness the power of the wind (which is free and ever coming) which in turn, rotate specially shaped wind turbine blades. This rotation transfers the energy from the blowing wind down into a turbine which changes it into another energy - electricity.

Depending on the size of the turbine and the strength and continued blowing of the wind you will produce more or less energy. I have seen small wind turbines on canal boats and residential wind turbines on garage roofs and sides of houses, larger ones in stables and in gardens, and of course ginormous wind turbines in large scale establishments or in wind farms.

Now, you can use that energy as it is created and store ’spare’ energy to use later in special batteries or, you can let excess electricity be pumped back into the National Electricity Grid - and get paid for it!

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Wind Energy:
Depending on how fussy and detailed you want to be with your own argument, there are a few for either side.

Advantages:

• Cutting your Carbon Footprint - wind energy is green and renewable.
• Cutting your energy costs - wind energy is free.
• Cutting your reliance on large companies - no need to pay for their advertising!
• Becoming more self-sufficient - you can use as much or as little as you want.
• Saving the environment - you are no longer digging up the earth or the ocean floor.
• Living a sustainable lifestyle - you are only creating and using what you need.
• Being generous and sharing - you can offer/sell someone else any excess ‘free’ energy!
• Voting with your feet - you will be telling the government and larger energy companies that you no longer believe that their policies and actions are acceptable and that you would rather ’step away’ than fund their activities.

Disadvantages:

• Not 100% energy cover - depending on your location, you may need top-ups from elsewhere.
• Costly initial expense - some wind turbines are expensive to buy or install.
• Planning permission needed - you may need to apply to your local council for permits.
• Ongoing maintenance - it won’t be expensive, but will need regular checking.
• Interested neighbors - you may find them staring at your wind turbine as they pass by, or keep asking you lots of questions about it all the time!

Join me in a few days time for my next article, which will have details on several small wind turbines that you could use in your garden or on your roof, and also some information on building your own wind turbines!

See you there.

Here we continue on from our debate with a look at what Organic and Fair Trade mean in terms of our food. 

One is more concerned with the health of the environment and ecosystem, while the other places more of it’s attention onto the growers and the farming communities of developing countries.

Organic:
Many governments have strict laws regarding the use of the word ‘Organic’ on food and feeds and they must be registered with a certified organic body.  However organic food can be imported from any country in the world, as long as it also has a certified organic body. 

The aim of organic farming is best described as optimizing the health and productivity of linked communities of soil life, plants, animals and people. 

As a result the environment is better treated; livestock and crops are not injected or sprayed with chemicals and the resulting food is as natural as can be and ultimately contains more natural ingredients and nutrition.

As a result the animals that we farm will be better treated (ie. have more space and more natural diets), the wildlife and watercourses will not be exposed to intensive farming and overuse of chemicals and associated problems, and the resulting food will be more nutritious and virtually chemical free.

Fair Trade:
This heading is more directed at the workers themselves, rather than the nutritional value of their foods.

Basically, it promotes the equality of workers in all countries by guaranteeing certain prices and certain working conditions that benefit small farms and local farming communities.

As it offers better quality of life to people, it therefore offers a great alternative to non-fair trade products from the same locations, for example fair trade bananas.  We can’t grow them here and have to import them; so why support poor working conditions by buying non-fair trade products?

The amount you pay is not that different, but more of the money can go into schools and communities rather than an international firms pocket!

Your Conclusion?
It is still very difficult to decide when you should by organic and when fair trade?  And can local produce even be fair trade?

You need to decide what is important to you first for each food type (as sometimes you will have little choice apart from not eating that food when you want - but when it’s available!).

1) If you want to reduce climate change then only buy locally and seasonal to prevent carbon emissions from extra resources and from flights and shipping long-haul.

2) If you want to be more environmentally friendly, then choose seasonal to reduce growth enhancers being used; and organic which will reduce the chemicals and fertilisers being used en masse in the countryside and waterways.

3) If you want to support developing countries and small farms, then buy fair trade (and possibly organic) to reduce their stresses and exposure to multi-national abuse and chemical overload!

4) If you want to ‘be healthy’ and reduce your families exposure to chemicals then buy locally and organically to reduce your exposure to artificial ingredients and chemical in your foods, but also from exposure from exhaust fumes from transported goods from elsewhere.

Sometimes, it’s not that easy - or that clear cut, but if you want to seriously make a difference, you are going to have to start making some decisions.

Trying To Be Seasonal - But Don’t Know What’s What?

We are so used to seeing certain fruit and vegetables on our supermarket shelves that we are not sure now which ones are in season and which ones are being shipped in from the other side of the world!

If you have your own allotment or back yard veggie patch, then you will be more than aware of which crops are available when, but there is still the question of food miles for everything else that we still buy from chain stores.

All packaged fruit and veg in stores is labelled with where it is from - but then you have the question of ’should we be buying all that packaging in the first place’, however, those loose fruit and veg usually have no identification or use by dates.  You just pick the individual pieces you like the look of, and eat them before they look too rotten!

Obviously, buying from a local pick-your-own farm store or independent food store will usually only be selling those items that they have pulled from the surrounding fields, but even they and many larger organic home-delivery veggie-boxes contain ‘foreign foods’ like pineapples and bananas. 

They may well be in season, and they may well be organic - but they are from plantations on the other side of the planet!

Is all this right?

Well, here are a few definitions to help you make up your own mind about your shopping habits:

Seasonal:
This means that the fruit or vegetables are being grown naturally where the weather is right for their germination and subsequent growth.

This works in exactly the same way as wild flowers like daffodils.  They are waiting for the right environmental circumstances (heat/light/moisture) to burst from the ground and into flower. 

Plants grown in season are growing ‘naturally’ and so need less chemicals and fertilisers.  As they are growing in their natural climate and at the right time of year they should be healthy and easier to grow.

Non-Seasonal:
These are plants that are forced to grow in an artificial environment and therefore will use many more resources (heating/bright lights/pumped water) to flourish.  Using the same example as above - this is like trying to grow daffodils in Antarctica. 

This also highlights that non-seasonal goods can be grown almost anywhere - and this is usually in developing countries with cheaper resources. 

It is rare to find an organic product that is grown ‘out of season’ due to the articicial resources needed, which is why we move to different farmers around the globe to keep supplies of certain foods ‘in season’ - adding to air miles.

Locally Grown:
Ideally this should define foods that are grown within 12 miles (20km) of where you purchase them (which should ideally be where you live).  However, they may contain any number of chemicals and be grown out of season.

Many farm stores grown their produce around the back of their own buildings, but they do bring some further distances as and when. 

Make sure your farm store doesn’t start to morph into an independent supermarket though, and starts stocking out-of-season veg or foods from overseas to meet demand!  If enough people expect their local farm store to stock bananas - they soon will, and this surely defeats the whole point of their initial ‘local’ ethics.

Locally grown food can however, have better eco credentials than overseas organic food due to the distance imported food has to travel in the air or by road to get to the supermarkets.

See Should We Buy Seasonal Food Even If It’s Not Organic?  Part 2 for details on Organic & Fair Trade Options.