Support your locals and create a more sustainable world
Many companies are having a hard time during this pandemic. Luckily, there are many ways we can support them. Support your locals by ordering take out food from restaurants that have had to close their doors, shop at small stores and order a coffee to go.
Local producers could also use some extra support. They can no longer sell their products to restaurants, which means they are left with large stocks. Thanks to the “Support Your Locals” campaign, you can now also do your shopping directly at food producers. In this way, food waste is prevented and small producers are given the opportunity to keep existing.
Support your locals and create a more sustainable world
How does it work?
Throughout the Netherlands, local producers register their products via the website of the “Support Your Locals” campaign. Here you can buy delicious, local products directly from the producer. You can have your groceries delivered or you can pick them up. Click here to view all initiatives.
What are short food chains?
With a short food chain, there is as little distance as possible between the food producer and your plate. Buying from the producer / farmer is therefore the shortest food chain you could wish for (besides having your own vegetable garden of course)
Interview with Renée Hendrickx from Food Cabinet
To discover the benefits of short food chains, I contacted Renée Hendrickx from Food Cabinet, the campaign agency that works with “Support Your Locals”. She was able to help me with my questions and hopefully she will inspire you too.
What makes local food producers so important?
“Partly thanks to the corona measures, we have seen how dependent we are on international networks when it comes to food. For a resilient food system, it is important that we do not depend on other countries far away for our entire food supply. In addition, local entrepreneurship has many advantages;
– Our food has to travel fewer kilometers
– Short chains provide more transparency and a fair price for the producer
– As a consumer you know better where your food comes from
In addition, people – when we choose local more often – also contribute to maintaining the diversity in the offer. Often it concerns special artisan products and flavors that are not available elsewhere. If the local entrepreneurs disappear, part of that diversity will also disappear. Supporting local entrepreneurs is therefore also a way to maintain local employment and stimulate the local / regional economy.”
What do you think the world would look like with only short food chains?
“First, we think that a better balance must be achieved. A world with only short chains is a utopia. This will not feed 10 billion mouths. But a food system where the current 5% will be increased to 25%. In our view, the short chain would be very feasible and desirable, which would bring out the benefits as described above much more prominently. Their business. We would travel less food miles, and we would have more influence on what our environment looks like. “
How does the “Support Your Locals” campaign affect the environment?
“Shorter food chains help to limit CO2 emissions from logistics, ensure a fair price for the producer and increase food awareness. Of course, it also varies a lot per entrepreneur how much influence they have on the environment. But almost all entrepreneurs are busy by reducing food kilometers and looking for the most sustainable way of delivery. In addition, it is of course of enormous influence whether the consumer buys a product from a producer in the Netherlands or whether they get it from Spain. Automatically buy more with the seasons. That way it is very easy to make a positive contribution to the environment.”
Finally, I myself am a huge fan of seasonal foods. Buying products that are ripe during the current season, have the highest nutritional value and are harvested at the best time. Imported fruit or vegetables are often harvested unripe, so that the nutritional value is lower (and the taste too, for that matter). Sometimes preservatives are even added. If you eat with the seasons, you naturally eat varied. Variety is a treat for maximum health!
The Support Your Locals campaign already supports local initiatives throughout the Netherlands. Click here to learn about buying locally in your area. Would you like to know more about the Support Your Locals campaign? Visit www.supportyourlocalsnl.nl.
Recommended: The podcast “Het Voedselkabinet”
Do you take the time to go shopping? Do you prefer to get everything at once from a large supermarket or do you prefer to go to local farmers? Let me know in the comments down below!
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Good Vibes,
Emma
Also read: How to do plastic free grocery shopping
