The recent spinach scare, where E. coli-tainted spinach killed one person and hospitalized hundreds more, brought to the table the importance of food, that is, where it comes from and why we should care...

Most of the food we buy travels great distances to reach our plate. A head of lettuce for example, travels about 2,000 miles from farm to market. These distances, measured in “food miles,” reveals how most of us are overly dependent on outside sources for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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Speaking of meals, the typical American meal contains, on average, ingredients from at least five countries outside the US. And the next time you eat dinner, ponder this:
+ In 1954, the average time spent preparing the evening meal was 2.5 hours.
+ In 2004, it took just 6.5 minutes.

Food miles have become a growing concern of local, state and federal governments. In Vancouver, B.C., the city has adopted an ambitious food policy. What’s more, as host for the 2010 winter Olympics, Vancouver is creating an Olympic legacy by establishing 2,010 garden plots in time for the games.

Studies show that locally-grown food is superior in many ways. First, long-distance food is less nutritious. And nutrition, or lack of it, is rocking the health care system. According to the World Health Organization, one way you can avoid preventable illnesses like heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Second, transportation costs account for 20 to 50 percent of the cost of produce. Now you have an environmental link to what you eat: The farther produce is trucked, the more oil is burned, which contributes to global warming.

This is not the first time food has hit the headlines. Following hurricane Katrina, the national debate over emergency preparedness revealed one element that was largely overlooked; the availability of food. Not just food set aside by government authorities, but by individuals as well. Unfortunately, few communities and households have more than a couple day’s worth of food. How about you?

Lack of locally-grown, healthy food…

While you might feel powerless, you can make a change. Whenever possible, buy from farmer’s markets. Even when you travel. Perhaps the best thing you can do, though, is start a garden. Whether you live in the country or an apartment, to grow at least some of the food you eat, provides one of the greatest freedoms you’ll ever know.