Sunday, November 22, 2009
For many people, including my boyfriend, Austin, and his roommates, the only thing standing between them and sustainable eating is money, money and more money.
“Janie, we drink about four gallons of milk a week,” Austin tells me. “Yeah, local milk tastes a whole lot better and I would get that instead of regular milk. But paying $3.50 for a gallon is too expensive for us. It just isn’t worth it.”
I agree, buying sustainable foods can be difficult for those on a budget — but it doesn’t have to be.
Recently, I visited the Community Mercantile, a co-op natural foods store here in Lawrence. I sat down with Nancy O’Conner, the nutrition educator and outreach coordinator, to find out how those on a budget can satisfy their desire to eat more sustainably without emptying their wallets.
The Merc isn’t just a grocery store, but a community center as well. In addition to providing groceries and other products, it benefits the local community by supporting local farmers, encouraging nutritional education in our schools and fostering relationships between consumers and producers by offering co-op memberships.
So how do we shop at stores at the Merc without breaking our budgets?
In short, focus on what you care most about. Is it organic produce or free-range meat? Is it local milk or free-trade coffee? Eating sustainably doesn’t mean changing your entire grocery list. Start with certain foods that are most important to you.
Incorporating sustainable foods by starting with one or two items is what eco-psychologists call the “foot in the door technique.” By committing to something small at first, it becomes easier to commit to something bigger later.
For example, my family used to only recycle paper; it was easy to collect and easy to recycle. Then we started using curbside recycling and recycled cans, plastic and cardboard in addition to paper. Now, we recycle glass as well, even though that requires driving to a recycling center
Many people think small changes won’t make a big difference. What they forget is that small changes don’t stay small for long.
— — Janie Chen is a junior from Olathe.
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