Produce Paralysis
Going to the grocery store has become a mentally-exhausting and stressful experience.
“But why Farmer Nick? I thought you loved taking produce pictures and cooking plant-based meals?”
Don’t get me wrong Bobby Flay, taking a bite of a perfectly crisp sugar snap pea is exhilarating and provides more happiness than most of my human relationships, but recently I’ve been hit with a hard case of “Produce Paralysis.” My gf @diandramarizet first coined the term after watching me run mental sustainability circles around my head trying to figure out what lettuce to buy in the grocery store.
“Do I buy the organic lettuce that was grown in California? It traveled over 2,000 miles to get here and the carbon emissions must be absurd. Plus it probably won’t last as long in my fridge so it will become food waste.”
OR
“Do I buy the local lettuce that was grown in a hydroponic farm just 5 miles away in Brooklyn? It’s SUPER local and uses 99% less water but it is packaged in plastic!”
The questions are endless and ultimately we need to find a better way.
This is what she means by Produce Paralysis, and it is a form of eco-anxiety that I just can’t seem to shake. For me, the paralysis is made up of a few key environmental factors:
Carbon Emissions (think Food Miles)
Food Waste
Plastic Packaging
Water
Pesticides (not as applicable since I am fortunate enough to buy organic anyway)
It is a never-ending conundrum and it came into play BIG time a few weeks ago during my most recent trip to the grocery store. After posting this picture, I highlighted the fact that nearly every piece of produce was free of plastic packaging except for the cucumbers on the right. My zero waste friends were predictably appalled (death to all plastic!) and the general consensus was that we should never use single use plastics.
However, does this really tell the whole sustainability story? An article from The Independent (thanks for the share @rptr__) discusses the benefit of shrink-wrapped produce because of its ability to reduce food waste. Although I don’t agree with every point in the article, it does show how food wrapped in plastic lasts longer and stays fresher. According to the article, shrink-wrapped cucumbers (like the ones seen in the picture) last three times as long and maintain more of its water. This plastic benefit does not apply to every type of produce, but it was a thought-provoking article nonetheless.
Do we sacrifice our anti-plastic values to reduce our food waste? Or do we refuse single use plastics and risk wasting more food?
The answer? There is none… at least not yet. A super cool startup called Apeel Sciences is working to end food waste by adding a layer of plant-derived protection to the surface of fresh produce to slow water loss and oxidation — the factors that cause spoilage. The tech isn’t universal yet, and I’m sure some people would be hesitant, but I believe it is a step in the right direction.
So what am I going to do about my Produce Paralysis problem? Do my best to shop at local farmers markets. I know this isn’t an all year solution, and it isn’t attainable for everyone, but it alleviates my anxiety during the winter when I have to make the tough decisions. For the record, I buy the produce without the plastic.
Thank god that’s over. Time to find some relief in the next aisle… the bulk section… where there are almonds… that require 1.1 gallons of water per nut… ugggggghh.