Resource for Local Food
Not many students at the University of Virginia have ever heard of Cville Market, Integral Yoga, or the Horse and Buggey, which all provide local food, but in a survey that was completed by 134 undergraduates 76% responded that they would be interested in learning more about local food and where to purchase it. In general many students do not know the facts about the foods they are consuming. Facts such as carrots on average travel 1,838 miles before they reach the average plate or that “In the U.S., a wheat farmer can expect to receive about six cents of each dollar spent on a loaf of bread—approximately the cost of the wrapping” while “Farmers' markets enable farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer” are all thought provoking figures and lifestyle changing issues.4 Our team believes that with more education about options and opportunities to eat local the movement will be even more successful in Charlottesville because it will include more of the UVa community.
Resource for Local Food, Charlottesville, sustainability, University of Virginia, Alex Johnston, Brittany Flood, Erica Stratton, raise awareness, sustainability education, local food
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Resource for Local Food

ResourceforLocalFood (click PDF)

Fall 2010

Team members: Alex Johnston, Brittany Flood, Erica Stratton

The local food movement in Charlottesville has addressed the importance of local food in a community and has worked to recognize the variety of opportunities and resources for the people of Charlottesville. Our team is interested in addressing this issue of education and awareness in our University community about the variety of local food options available in Charlottesville. While the city of Charlottesville is only 10.26 square miles, the University is a home for four years to a diversity of students from across the United States and the world, so hopefully as they return to their other homes they will bring this awareness with them to share with their communities.

Not many students at the University of Virginia have ever heard of Cville Market, Integral Yoga, or the Horse and Buggey, which all provide local food, but in a survey that was completed by 134 undergraduates 76% responded that they would be interested in learning more about local food and where to purchase it. In general many students do not know the facts about the foods they are consuming. Facts such as carrots on average travel 1,838 miles before they reach the average plate or that “In the U.S., a wheat farmer can expect to receive about six cents of each dollar spent on a loaf of bread—approximately the cost of the wrapping” while “Farmers’ markets enable farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer” are all thought provoking figures and lifestyle changing issues.4 Our team believes that with more education about options and opportunities to eat local the movement will be even more successful in Charlottesville because it will include more of the UVa community.

While we hope to engage and involve as many people in the UVa community as we can through a method to both educate and offer awareness about the local food opportunities in Charlottesville, we believe there are only three groups of stakeholders who will experience varying degrees of effects. Below is an image depicting the three levels of stakeholders listed from most affected at the bottom to least affected at the top by the increased education and awareness.