As humans, we crave social interaction. Even the most introverted individuals still require human contact on some level. It's a powerful tool that gives us a sense of being and understanding. For some, social interaction is part of daily life; for others, it has to be sought out. One of the best ways to become social with a sense of purpose is through community.
Anyone who knows me well knows that I am the most loyal and dedicated thrift store shopper. Whether I need a basic item for the kitchen or a staple item to complete an outfit, I check out my thrift store first. If I could find everything I needed second hand, I’d never shop anywhere else…but this is not the reality. Even so, your local thrift store is an amazing resource for many reasons.
Sleek, shiny, full hair has been revered for ages, and many of us yearn for just that look. However, with today’s harsh shampoos, conditioners, hair products and treated hair, that natural shiny look can be very hard to achieve.
Globalization and domestic big agriculture have made it possible to get avocados in the winter, oranges that are actually orange, and out of season or imported fruit at cheap prices. However, this globalized demand for food also has its share of problems.
For those of you who are curious about these food co-ops that you see popping up, you should know that these grocery stores with a twist are called food cooperatives for a good reason—they’re all about cooperation. Food co-ops thrive in communities that are interested in working together for the common good.
Have you ever thought about what your clothing is made from? Most clothing these days is made from synthetic materials. Or try entering a local fabric store; it’s rare to find any textile with a label listing actual ingredients. Even more extraordinary is to find a textile that comes from your local community. According to federal regulations, most textile and wool products must have a label listing fiber content, country of origin, and identity of the manufacturer or another business responsible for handling the item.
The Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) in California is making great strides with the Farm to School program it started in 2008. Through this program, OUSD sources the majority of their produce from local farms, and in 2016, they won a “California Farm-to-School Network Golden Seed Award” from the Community Alliance with Family Farmers.
In 2011, I moved from the lush greenery of Olympia, an hour south of Seattle, to Philadelphia, one of the densest cities in America. Never in my life had I seen so much brick, so much pavement, and so little green space. I loved the city—I moved there to pursue opportunities that weren’t available in a smaller town. But I missed the green. And something about that made me suddenly interested in healthy eating. If I couldn’t have much green foliage around me, at least I could have some on my plate.
The days are getting shorter, the garden has been put to rest, and the fruits and vegetables at the farmer’s market are getting sparse. We’re in the thick of fall, and as we all know, fall turns into winter and leaves us for many months without fresh leafy greens, sweet juicy berries, or perfectly ripe tomatoes. For many hoping to eat locally, winter can be challenging - but it doesn’t have to be! Dear readers, you really can eat locally all year round, even if you’ve never canned a day in your life!
Walking into the markets here in Barcelona, Spain, I am welcomed to find an array of seasonal fruit, from three kinds of watermelon to cantaloupe and late-harvest cherries. Strawberries were on the shelves in late June, but as August rolls into September the last of the summer stone fruits make their appearance, getting ready for autumn’s harvest.