Earth Day (April 22) is coming up, a welcome reminder each year that the Earth is our home and provides generation after generation with life itself. Did you know that our current food system is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gases? Protecting our planet requires action by everyone, and supporting local food systems and sustainable food production will help value and protect the land that feeds us all. So what can you do?
Organic Valley, the family-farmed owned organic dairy cooperative, encourages people to host “Earth Dinners” with homemade, local food and conversation centered on the origins of what is being served. They’ve created a deck of conversation-starter cards to be used at Earth Day Dinners. More details and sample cards can be found on the Organic Valley web site.
If you live near one of these Slow Food Local chapters, you can participate in their Earth Day events, including:
Slow Food Monterey Bay will participate in the annual Central Coast Vineyard Team Earth Day Food & Wine festival in Santa Margarita, CA on April 19
Slow Food Huron Valley, Michigan will host Capuchin Soup Kitchen’s Earth Day Commemoration on April 22, featuring speakers on sustainability, the soup kitchen’s Farm Stand, and the establishment of a local monastery’s organic farm. Proceeds will benefit the Soup Kitchen and Earthworks Urban Farm.
Slow Food Miami will host a Seafood Picnic in honor of Earth Day on April 27 to benefit their Pre-K school garden program.
Slow Food Spokane River‘s Earth Dinner at Wild Sage restaurant will connect diners to the local producers who grow their food.
Or, consider the possibility of treating it as a new year of sorts and making an Earth Day resolution. What will you do this year to help take care of the earth?
