After spending time in their cabin in northern British Columbia, James was inspired to eat more locally, this lead to the proposition of the hundred-mile diet. Right away, even before they started the hundred-mile diet I found the manner to which James proposed the idea that to Alisa to be interesting. It was a sporadic, in the moment idea proposed by James outlined on page 5 “I think we should try eating local food for a year”. Personally, I love how organic this idea came about and how it was received by Alisa, if more people were this open to change and a general willingness to make impactful decisions we may be living in a very different world.
One of the issues with the hundred-mile diet is outlined early on in this book on page 16. After a large feast, they begin to consider the cost of the meal, $128.87. This large price tag was met by Alisa on page 16 saying “this might not even be possible”. While not the message they were trying to convey, to me it describes class discrimination in environmentalism. A single mother making the average Canadian wage of $52,000 (Statistics Canada 2020) will not likely to be able to afford a $128.87 meal to appease this hundred-mile restriction. Many individuals with little or no disposable income have no ability to afford not to use cheaper products containing plastics and carbon intensive food.
In May James talks about the weather in Vancouver as monsoon season is in full force and begins to describe the drab feeling of the dark rainy days. For me this not only describes the conditions outside their apartment but potentially is pointing to increasing difficulties and negativity within their apartment. They have been unable to ascertain many vegetables which they describe on page 43 as “gentle thoughts and erections”. Once they finally reach asparagus season their hopes are metaphorically and figuratively washed away as local crops have been harmed by the heavy rain.
James and Alisa biked to the UBC farm and checked in on the chickens from which they have been receiving eggs. This exemplifies the connection individuals should and historically have had with their food. The hundred-mile diet seems to not only be premised on eating food closer to oneself but also become closer with the food itself.
As the book continues Alisa and James seem to enjoy the spring and summer months, now with a large variety of food they probably feel as though this is a positive and doable lifestyle. On page 89 it really shows how James’ outlook has changed from the rainy March to the sunny July as they begin to hit a groove and becoming more comfortable even saying “We eat what everyone seems to eat”. This to me is the beginning of a happier experience for both James and Alisa where they begin to explore and make connection with farmers and fishers and tell stories of their time in Dorreen. It is as if the troubles of spring have been washed from their memory and confidence in their hundred-mile diet begins to grow along with the summer crops.
References
Mackinnon J.B. & Smith Alisa (2007). The 100 Mile Diet; A Year of Local Eating. Toronto ON: Vintage Canada.
Stats Canada (08/01/2020). Employee wages by occupation, annual, inactive. Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410030701&pickMembe rs%5B0%5D=1.1&pickMembers%5B1%5D=2.2&pickMembers%5B2%5D=3.1&pickMemb ers%5B3%5D=5.3&pickMembers%5B4%5D=6.1
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