CONNECT: April 2012

“Think Globally, Act Locally”.

You've heard the phrase. A simple idea that we use all the time in our efforts to help people who are trying to change their health. Think big and get the principles right.....but act on changing the things you can change......the little things within your grasp.....

This, being the “Go Green” issue of Elements, we thought it might be cool to overlay this theme on the get-healthy banner that we are usually waving, finding a way to really put Environmental together with Health and Safety, the two primary industries we already work in. We think “Think Globally, Act Locally” might just be the sweet spot for us.

For example, eating locally can be healthier, is at times safer and is DEFINITELY more environmentally conscious. Sure it's a kind gesture (one, frankly, that we hope that is habit forming for customers of the Fuel Good Cafe), but the benefit is not limited to supporting local small businesses.

“Locavore”: Eating locally means trimming this process to a 100 mile radius. Fruits and vegetables are sold and at times prepared within 24 hours of being harvested; eaten at the height of ripeness and so packed with both flavor and nutrients.

At Pro-Activity, our interest reflects both the nutrient pursuit and the “greenery”. To do our part, we've started looking at the distance our goods travel in an effort to find ways to trim it down. We couldn't believe what we uncovered. It turns out the American food travels an average of 1500 to 2500 miles from farm to table? Food shipping is now the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. YIKES!

An opportunity cleverly disguised as a problem? Perhaps. So we decided to put our money where our mouth was......literally. We sat down with a member of our local community who shared this common interest and starting this month, the BaseCamp31 Food Club makes its debut. Coordinator, Wandy Bush, has worked with several Lancaster, Pennsylvania area farms to bring locally grown products to our area. Food is fresh, nutrient dense and leaves less of a carbon footprint than the standard grocery store option. In addition, similar to a farmer’s market, the eating local movement allows the farmer to keep a significantly larger percent of the cost of the product. A small but powerful example of local action that we're super excited to be a part of.

When we asked Wandy to share her thoughts on eating locally she explained it this way: “the main goal of the BaseCamp31 Food Club is to obtain hormone-free, antibiotic-free, GMO-free organic produce from local farmers, while you strengthen your family's health, you help strengthen the local economy”. Makes perfect sense to us. Her enthusiasm for and commitment to this “green” shopping method is contagious. What’s not to love about a healthy practice that tastes better and is better for you?

Eat your green, in a way that's green, while putting some green where it's needed. Enough said.

If you want to give this green step a try, contact Wandy at foodclub@basecamp31.com