Laura Reinsborough is the founder of a local fruit harvesting organization, Not Far From the Tree. Laura’s accomplishments gathering fruit from trees around Toronto has elevated the 100-mile diet to a whole new level. The average distance food travels from farm to plate is 4,000 kilometers – that’s a whole lot of carbon dioxide and chemicals needed to keep the food “fresh.

As global food demand is projected to increase by 70% by 2050, the amount of land suitable for food production is likely to decrease due to pressures from other uses and climate change . Not Far From the Tree (NFFTT) is addressing this problem by helping to capture and provide to our cities local food that would otherwise be wasted and is healthier, tastier, and better for the environment. Take action now to transform the way we eat.

"Given that most of the fruits and veggies on our plates travel 4000km from where they've been grown, it's incredibly empowering to bite an apple right off the tree."
– Laura Reinsborough, NFFTT Founder, guest blogger

Take Action

1. Spread Branches

• Register your fruit tree here if you live in Toronto. Many other cities have similar projects, like initiatives in Vancouver, Victoria, Richmond, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, Los Angeles.
• Create your own branch of NFFTT by organizing an urban fruit harvest.
• Gather your friends and neighbours and take the community garden challenge. Use a tool kit for tips and ideas.
• Host a dinner party using only local and seasonal foods, to demonstrate how easy and delicious eating locally can be.
• Share your backyard with the Sharing Backyards program, to provide space to grow fruits and veggies in the city.

2. Social Media

• Follow Not Far From The Tree on Twitter
• Become a fan of Not Far From The Tree on Facebook
• Twitter Contest Alert: Enter the GreenHeroes.tv Twitter contest to win a T-Shirt from Not Far From the Tree! We want to hear how you are eating locally! Retweet and add #GreenHero to your favourite local farmer, market or green grocer for a chance to win a NFFTT T-shirt! Be sure to include @greenheroestv in the body of your tweet! Contest closes on September 3, 2010. Winner will be selected at random from entrants.

3. Sign on

4. Spread the word

• Tell 10 friends that our average meal travels 5,000 km before it reaches our plates. It’s a lot healthier, tastier, and better for the environment to eat local.

• Share Laura Reinsborough’s GreenHeroes webisode using our neat Sharelizer widget. You can share GreenHeroes.tv videos on your blog or website by simply following the directions on our site.

Remember – in the battle to save the planet, eating locally is key. Share your ideas on how to increase local food in our communities by entering our contest, and you’ll be eligible to win a prize! Contest details and more information can be found here.