2008 Woodie Awards
Students strive to eat healthy, for the body and the environment
Lily Sussman
Issue date: 9/24/07 Section: News
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Quaranta is part of a growing movement of "localvore," who want to eat locally-grown food. But the senior environmental studies major wasn't always this way.
She entered Northeastern as a middler sociology major and did not think twice about where her food came from or the global effects her personal diet could create. But her interest was peaked when she read an article her about sustainable development that explained how human activities are depleting our natural resources, which aren't able to regenerate quickly enough to keep up with the demand, Quaranta said.
"I did my own research and [made] sure I got information from both sides," she said. "What did it for me was when I could tie the ecological problems and nutritional problems of the world. I realized how much fossil fuels we are burning to transport produce across countries and continents."
Environmental studies professor Jennifer Cole said localvores the "eat local" trend is boosting business at local farmers markets - there were 135 statewide this year, up from 88 five years ago, according to the State Department of Agriculture.
Sunday, in the parking lot by the intersection of Waltham and Harrison avenues around 3 p.m., employees of Silver Brook Farm serve their last customers of the day.
Running the farm stand were Ellie Early and Nathan Tripp, who both live and work at Silver Brook Farm while studying at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. They make the trip to South Boston to sell fresh produce every Sunday.
"[The Silver Brook Farm stand] is the closest to Northeastern campus - it's only 15 minutes away," Quaranta said of her favorite farm stand.
In Boston, local farmers' markets can be found every day of the week - from Jamaica Plain, to Brigham Circle, to the bustling Haymarket.
A real indicator of environmental awareness was not the shoppers, but their accessories, Early said, "People bring these back," said Early pointing to the small cardboard crates used for tomatoes and onions. "People say 'I don't need a plastic bag, I don't need to waste more plastic.'"
Customers at area farmers markets, where business peaks September and October, say locally grown food is fresher and healthier. Many also enjoy the fact that buying local supports the region's farms, which in turn helps preserve open space throughout the region. And contamination incidents, like the contaminated spinach from California last year, also helped spark a demand for local produce.
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