Celebrating Earth Day and co-ops

Erbin Crowell, Green Energy Times -  The first Earth Day was celebrated in the U.S. in 1970 as awareness of the impacts of pollution and industrial agriculture on the environment and human health was reaching a peak. The date of April 22 was originally chosen because it fell during spring break for many schools, offering an opportunity to engage young people in community activism and advocacy. The next few years saw the establishment of the United States Environmental Protection Agency as well as the passage of critical legislation such as the National Environmental Education Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act.

Not surprisingly, many of the food co-ops here in the Northeast were founded in the 1970s, riding this wave of ecological awareness. In the spirit of mutual self-help, people used their volunteer energy to build a democratic economic alternative — member-owned grocery stores rooted in their communities and controlled by the people who shopped and worked there. Food co-ops were also pioneers in local sourcing, bulk buying, and organic products, innovations that were later adopted by mainstream retailers.

In 2009, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly made April 22 an annual global celebration, International Mother Earth Day, and approved the Millenium Declaration the next year. With goals ranging from halving extreme poverty rates and halting the spread of HIV/AIDS, to providing universal primary education and ensuring environmental sustainability by 2015, the endeavor was unprecedented in its global scale. Co-ops were seen as key partners in the effort, demonstrated by the declaration of 2012 as the first International Year of Co-operatives.

....Today, more than 20 of the food co-ops founded in the northeast region in the ‘70s continue to serve their communities today. And while a new wave of start-ups has contributed to the growth of the movement in our region, the more than 60 food co-ops in New England and New York State remain true to their ideals. For example, an average of 30% of goods sold at these grocery stores are sourced from local producers. You can also find organic products that reduce pesticide pollution and support healthy soils, buy in bulk to help reduce packaging waste, and choose fairly traded and co-op products that benefit workers and producers in the developing world. In response to food insecurity, many food co-ops have also launched Healthy Food Access programs that make healthy, local food more accessible and contribute to community organizations through round up at the register efforts.