Never before has there been a greater call to make natural whole foods a part of our diets. It’s one definitive positive to come from 2020 and as we move towards the future it will be our guiding light to healthier living. It’s for this reason that this year’s National Organic Week (September 7-13) has taken on greater significance. In the past we have provided inspiration for how your household can celebrate the occasion but this time we’ve added a twist – how to make your Organic Week more sustainable.
But isn’t the nature of Organic Week rooted into sustainability? Of course! But when we reference “sustainable” in this case we’re talking about how your family can live like it’s Organic Week every single week of the year. Let’s have a look.
3 Ways to Recognize National Organic Week in a Way That Sustains Your Household All Year Long and Beyond
Plant an Edible Garden at Home
Plant an edible garden for your home in September? Hasn’t that ship sailed with the spring season? Not at all! There are a large variety of vegetables that can be planted in September that will thrive in Canada’s more moderate climate regions. These include beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, celery, kale, leeks, lettuce, mustard greens, onions, parsley, peas, potatoes, radishes, spinach, and turnips to name a few. Planting an edible garden at home is a fun activity for the family and one that will deliver fresh and nutritious vegetables from the soil to your table all year long. View more on the best vegetables to grow in cool weather. If you live in a condo or have limited outdoor space you may also consider which vegetables to grow indoors.
Pledge to Shop Local
Pledging to “go organic” does more than help maintain the health of your household, it can also make your local economy more sustainable. When your family commits to shopping at local natural health retailers and farmers markets you help keep growers, distributors, and sellers in business. This ensures that healthy foods keep making their way from local farms and gardens to the tables of community households.
Teach your kids about how shopping sustainably positively impacts the lives of many in and beyond your community. This shows them how everything is interconnected, and how making simple purchase decisions can make a difference on a large scale when done so collectively. Encourage them to share this information with their friends and the playground and at school!
You can make this household pledge more fun by gathering up the kids each Saturday and Sunday through September (starting this Organic Week) to October and head to at least two farmers markets in your area. Mix it up as often as possible, and consider heading to nearby towns to do the same when the weather begs for a quick family road trip. Together you can compare varieties, displays, and prices of organic fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, sauces, pastries, and even artisan wares.
Get Involved with a Foundation That Supports Organic Living (All Year)
One of the most rewarding, effortless, yet effective ways to support organic living on a larger scale is to get involved with a Foundation that is dedicated to the cause. Such a Foundation will already have programs in place that offer your family the opportunity to get involved in a number of ways.
Take the Plant a Seed & See What Grows Foundation for example. We offer volunteer programs which (with your support!) help us nurture Canadian communities through the education and promotion of sustainable healthy living practices. These programs include (but are not exclusive to) the following:
Of course, as your household’s more relaxed summer schedule gives way to busier days and nights of autumn, winter, and spring dedicating the time is not always viable. In this case you can trade one valued resource (your time) for another – donation. Your financial gift will allow the continuation of the above funded programs that support healthy and sustainable living projects throughout the country.
Need some ideas on how you and your kids can help raise funds to donate to our causes? We’ve outlined a few in our recent article about how to celebrate the International Day of Charity.
View more on how your donation will go to support these funded programs.
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