From decking to strawberries - the choices aren't always so cut and dry

On Local Planet you have recently seen reasons to buy organic and buy local.  Both topics are heavily debated and quite oftentimes in direct conflict.  Do I buy locally grown strawberries that are not certified organic, but I know the farmer, know he is doing the right things with the right materials but also know that gaining the certification is cost-prohibitive to him?  Remember that scene in No Impact Man when he interviews the dairy farmer(the scene where he discusses the idea of letting his cows stay sick)?  Or do I drop in to Whole Foods and grab some berries from Driscoll Farms, that are really good, certified organic but came from California and have quite literally travelled thousands of miles to get here?  Will I be stuck eating only regional seasonal vegetables?  Remember most of the food we eat is actually a luxury in the sense that it’s done quite a bit of travelling.  Where does it end?  How far does each of us take this? 

It reminds me of a recent conversation I had with a dear friend who contacts me every so often to help him with his purchase decisions with a home he is renovating outside of Charlottesville, VA.  His questions usually revolve around material choice and sometimes my LEED background has been quite helpful and at other times it only confuses things.  Case in point, he is trying to determine what to do with his deck that is over a hundred years old and is falling apart.  Reusing the wood, unfortunately is not an option.  He did his homework and came to me with questions about the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), ipe and composite decking.  He wanted to be sure he was doing something sustainable.  Thankfully, he wasn’t even considering pressure treated wood (when compared to the others doesn’t last and can’t be recycled at the end of it’s life span) and was amazed at the options and the confusion that ensued over what should be a simple deck. 

Ipe has grown in popularity but can be sourced without FSC’s stamp on it, obviously, has to travel from South America.  Some would argue that its growing popularity has increased demand too much to the point that the once sustainable option isn’t so sustainable.  Consider cumaru, but then you get into yet another comparison of kiln-dried vs. non-kiln dried etc.  You also have the composite options made from a combination of wood (some that is 100% pre-consumer recycled) and recycled plastic (as high or higher than 12% HDPE – High Density Polyethylene) which can be recycled at the end of it’s life span clearly closing the loop.  He was leaning towards ipe because of it’s beauty, feel and longevity.  I pushed back to suggest that, yes, the wood is beautiful but what’s the real cost to get it here.  So maybe composite is the way to go.  But how does it look and how does it feel underfoot when you walk out onto your deck in our perfect sustainable world sipping your organic vodka and all natural soda out of your 100% recycled content plastic glass with ice cubes that came from your Energy Star refrigerator made from rainwater harvested from your solar panel roof?  Did I forget to plug in my new Nissan LEAF?  And if I own two are they called LEAFs(that doesn’t sound right even though, technically correct)?  You get the picture.  And we haven’t even mentioned the economics yet of any of these choices.

So, what does this have to do with strawberries?  Well, the decisions we are making every day have an impact no matter how small or how big they may seem.  They, collectively can have an enormous effect.  But, they aren’t easy, and we recognize this.  What we are providing to you is a connection to places in a way that helps you make an informed decision.  So, it’s about strawberries, but it’s also about wood and about people, those people who are doing the right thing and those people that want to know about it, that’s you.  Join us, suggest places, continue the conversation and let’s make change.

-Patrick Vrana
LEED AP
Founder of Local Planet