Sustainable Food Will Benefit From Fewer Americans Relocating

by Mike Smith · 2009-10-18 15:49:00 UTC
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With fewer Americans relocating than anytime in the last 50 years, communities, families and the environment stands to gain. Settling in one place for a longer time is helping build more resilient communities, with alternative industries thriving. The report explains that Wal Mart won't be replaced by more grocery stories anytime soon, but I have to say that this is really good news for the sustainable food movement.

More people spending more time in their communities are more likely to invest more into it. If you're constantly moving you aren't so likely to get involved in things like food co-ops. You'd be less likely to know about vegetable box scheme, unlikely to know your farmer, and wouldn't be so clued in to where all the good farmers' markets are.

Putting down roots can be a literal thing too. Once you've got to know an area, and lived there for a while, and with plans to live there for a long time too, beginning backyard farming or getting to know where the farmers' markets are make a great investment of time and money. And if a number of people do this, the effect multiplies to help grow the local food scene. If this can at the same time help defeat homogenization and build communities, then we're all winners. But I fear this may be the recession pinning us back, rather than a conscious decision being made.

Photo credit: Paul Beattie

Mike Smith
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