Brittany Watson is a senior magazine and graphics major and writes ‘WHIT WORRY WONDER’ for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper. Write to Brittany at bmwatson4@bsu.edu.
The shopping cart rattles as TV dinners and frozen foods — distinguishable only by the picture printed on the plastic bags — are tossed in with a metallic thump. The massive grocery store freezers’ frost-covered doors aren’t too chatty.
This is a common ritual of today’s American. But is it healthy, not just for our bodies, but our communities?
While Walmart offers mountains of food options, people have seen the positives of strolling through the farmers market or checking out the local butcher shop.
“It is a far different experience to purchase a product at a major supermarket than it is to buy directly from the person who grew or raised it, who had an intimate connection with the plant or animal and the land that supported it,” said Meghan Sharp, a Ball State instructor of natural resources and environmental management.
According to the 2013-14 academic year Ball State Dining initiative, the campus set a goal in which 20 percent of the food will come from locally raised plants and animals.
“It’s not a matter of ‘we’re going to fix the world,’ because you learn quickly that there is no single thing that’s broken,” said Diane Berg, president of Students for Responsible Consumerism.
However, the simple action of going to a farmers market is part of the impact in itself.
“When the two parties can meet, shake hands, swap recipes and share ideas, relationships are built and the community as a whole is strengthened,” Sharp said.
While a thin wallet or trouble with transportation can make it tough to buy local and eat organic, there are resources for students to make a change in their diet and in the community.
“You don’t have to treat it like an all-or-nothing thing — just switching a few things to local products is better than none at all,” Berg said. “Your cart doesn’t have to be full of organic or local [products] for it to matter. Each baby step is worth it.”
Organic food and the qualifications to label it as such are governed by the National Organics Program, which is overseen by the Department of Agriculture.
The guidelines to call something organic depend on ingredients, the food’s contact with non-organic substances and possible modifications that may occur. Product production, handling and certification standards also are a part of the organic standard. These requirements result in strict packaging and labeling standards.
There are four labels — “100 percent organic,” “organic,” “made with organic” and “specific organic ingredients” — used to classify the products, each depicting a different degree of organic value.
Along with the on-campus options, there are off-campus locations for students to purchase goods of the same delicious quality, such as the Downtown Farm Stand, Minnetrista Farmer’s Market, Lahody Meats Butcher Shop and Green Been Delivery.
