[getsmart-l] 100 mile diet initiative in Whitchurch Stouffville

[Janet May]

Cox makes difference with 100-mile diet crusade 

 

http://www.yorkregion.com/

 

Marsha Cox helped organize a 100-mile diet initiative at Lemonville United
Church. 

  

Whitchurch-Stouffville 

Dec 23, 2007 09:32 PM 

By: Hannelore Volpe 

Marsha Cox is inspired by the idea you can make a difference, especially
when it comes to making the planet a better place.

To find out what impact you can have by shopping locally, the Lemonville
resident helped launch the 100-mile diet at Lemonville United Church last
summer with student minister Wanda Stride.

People from the rural church on McCowan Road, south of Bloomington Road,
tried to buy fruit, vegetables, meat and even dairy products within a
100-mile radius of their homes.

They started with the premise buying locally would be a big plus for the
environment, reducing pollution incurred from transporting and storing food
from far away.

As the summer-long experiment continued, the thinking of many in the
congregation began to shift.

When the 100-mile diet started, Mrs. Cox thought everyone would turn into
"organic zealots", but she found the concept of fair trade became an
important issue.

"People who were exporting were also buying into the fair trade argument,"
Mrs. Cox said.

In Canada, the Fair Trade Certified label means farmers and workers in
developing countries have been paid a fair price for their products. 

You will see the labels on some brands of coffee, tea, chocolate, fruits
such as bananas and mangos, cotton garments and more.

Some local farmers, who welcomed church members as customers, also sold many
of their crops overseas. 

Mrs. Cox began to realize shipping Canadian food products overseas provides
a viable income for these farmers, income they might not have if they only
sold locally.

Exporting Canadian crops benefits people overseas, who can't grow these
crops themselves. 

In addition, if Canadians buy Fair Trade products from these countries, "we
are helping them," Mrs. Cox said.

"It expands beyond the 100 miles," she said.

Mrs. Cox eventually came to the conclusion you should still follow the
concept of the 100-mile diet, but "in season, when you can". 

The retired librarian recommended the book Bitter Chocolate to other
congregation members.

The book, by author and broadcaster Carol Off, deals with the less savoury
side of the industry which brings chocolate to our tables.

Lately, Mrs. Cox has turned her attention to water.

The availability of clean water and not using bottles water are two of her
newest passions, which grew out of her research on the 100-mile diet.

Changing small things, like not using bottled water - which results in
mountains of plastic bottles - is something everyone can do.

As a group, the congregation is trying to educate itself on water issues.

Many problems seem so daunting, "but we can actually make a difference,"
Mrs. Cox said.

In her home, she decided to switch to environmentally-friendly cleaning
products.

That fact Brian and Marsha Cox have six grandchildren is a prime motivator. 

"We are looking at how to improve the planet for them."

 

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