LOCAL FOOD GOOD FOR CONSUMERS AND OUR COMMUNITY

As I bit into a locally made cookie after dinner the other night, I congratulated myself on the "localness" of that meal.  My husband and I had just eaten soy chicken sandwiches on bread from our oven with greens from our garden and avocado and sweet corn from the farmer's market.

I felt this was pretty good considering that, in Hawaii, the average food item travels at least 2400 miles (the distance between Honolulu and San Francisco) before reaching our local grocery stores.

However, even though my husband and I had put some thought into bringing local food to our table on this particular evening, much of our meal was well-traveled.  The soy patties, for example, had shipped over 4000 miles from Madison, Wisconsin.  In addition, we used butter from Seattle, chili sauce from Thailand, flour from Minneapolis and mayonnaise from New Jersey.

The bottom line is: I can do better.  I want to reduce the barrels of oil it takes to bring me my dinner.  Further, I'd like to see more of my dollars make it into our community.  I'd rather know that my hard-earned cash is lining my neighbor's pockets than the pockets of the big box stores, oil companies and advertising firms. 

Camille Armantrout

Makawao