Why Shopping Local Makes Better Sense

Thank you for bringing a grass-roots movement to mainstream attention with your article on the sustainable food movement (“Think Global, Eat Local,” by Jim Robbins, July 31). Shopping at the farmers’ market makes a political statement in addition to being a pleasure to the taste buds (and more fun than shopping at the supermarket). It’s an easy way to contribute to the health of our families, communities and the environment. Even if we only care about the health of one of those areas, making the sustainable food movement widespread and mainstream makes sense.

Karin Bellomy

Santa Monica

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I travel back and forth to Japan several times a year, and I notice that vegetables there are huge and the meat and fish are beautiful. The Japanese, unlike most Americans, celebrate food. Even though it is one of the most advanced countries in the world, its approach to food is still old school. What happened in the U.S. is very simple: Get there fast and cheap, and we’ll suffer the consequences later. Isn’t “later” right now?

Ward Alston

Mission Hills