Farmer's Markets

by Cynthia
(San Francisco, Ca. USA)

I find that one of the best things you can do to help the environment as well as the farmers, is visit your local farmers market for all your produce and even meats. I'm lucky, live in California so we have them year round. But they happen almost everywhere in the warmer months around the country.

The food is grown locally, so it's not factory farmed and it doesn't have to be transported, cutting down on greenhouse gasses in both cases. Animals are treated better, since they usually come from small farms, often grass fed.

My local market, at the Ferry Building in San Francisco only sells 100% organic everything. They have meats, produce, cheeses, fresh baked breads, almost anything you could want! And, they have gone so far as to ban plastic so you either bring your own bags, or buy eco-friendly bags for 25 cents each.

Plus, it's fun to shop at the local markets with live music and the atmosphere is like a street fair!

The entire city of San Francisco has banned plastic bags at all major super markets. I am also proud to say that we have one of the highest, (maybe the highest) recycle rates in the U.S. with 72% of our waste being recycled. The city is aiming for 75% this year, and 100% in the next 10 years!