tippy toes

I just took a quiz to measure my Ecological Footprint Ecological Footprint. The results presented me with a dismal truth: despite my efforts to set a high standard, if everyone lived like me it would take 4.7 planets to sustain mankind. Not so hot. For a harsh dose of reality you can take the quiz at www.myfootprint.org .

The largest impact my lifestyle has on the environment seems to be through 1. the food choices I make and 2. the amount of waste I generate. Those two groups are not mutually exclusive, of course. Food products that are shipped from faraway lands create an unbelievable amount of hidden waste, through the fuel used for transport and the endless layers of packaging. Local foods are defined as foods produced within 200 miles of you, and they have a tremendously lighter impact on the environment. New Yorkers have tons of resources, from the bustling Union Square Park Greenmarket to the quirky 4th Street Food Co-op (where you can get some surprising deals on organic produce). You can find even more locations in the City here - plus, there are many restaurants whose chefs shop at local farmer markets around the city. If you're from other areas you can google local markets in your area code or look in a directory such as that by Local Harvest .