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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: As Farmers' Markets Open, Mayor Touts Climate Benefits of Locally Grown Food
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
5/9/2007 10:00:00 AM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alex Fryer (206) 684-8358
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As Farmers’ Markets Open,
Mayor Touts Climate Benefits of Locally Grown Food
SEATTLE - Marking the start of the summer season for Seattle’s 11 neighborhood
farmers’ markets, Mayor Greg Nickels today urged shoppers to help protect
the climate by choosing more locally grown food.
There is a growing recognition that the food we eat often traveled far and
wide before reaching our tables - a process that can increase the greenhouse
gas pollution contributing to global warming. A recent World Watch Institute
study shows that 17 percent of global fossil fuel use goes to fertilizing and
transporting food.
One way to reduce the amount of food-related climate pollution is to buy more
of the food we eat from local sources. And Seattle’s popular farmers
markets are great place to do just that.
“When it comes to protecting our climate, sending our food on a road
trip isn’t such a hot idea,” Nickels said. “Buying more food
from your neighborhood’s farmers’ market is a great way to think
globally and eat locally.”
Seattle has one of the largest farmers’ market scenes in the United
States. Markets across the city are opening for the summer growing season,
from West Seattle to Lake City. You can find a farmers’ market open nearly
every day of the week during summer.
The benefits to the environment of buying locally can be substantial. For
example, a Skagit Valley apple requires about two-thirds less climate-polluting
energy to grow and ship to local sellers than an apple from New Zealand, according
to University of Washington researchers.
Nickels was joined today by grower Andrew Stout, owner of the organic Full
Circle Farm in Carnation.
Encouraging everyone in Seattle to find simple, common-sense ways of reducing
greenhouse gas emissions at home, on the road and at work is part of the mayor’s
climate protection efforts.
To date, 496 cities across the country have signed Nickels’ U.S. Mayor
Climate Protection Agreement, pledging to join Seattle in meeting the climate
protection goals of the Kyoto Protocol.
Nickels held today’s press conference at Seattle’s original farmers’ market
- Pike Place Market. Pike Place Market will have Organic Wednesdays, Farm Fridays
and Summer Sundays at which local farmers will sell this summer, in addition
to regular daily farm tables.
Shoppers can find locally grown produce nearly every day of the week at these
neighborhood farmers’ markets:
- Ballard; Sundays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., April to November; 11 a.m.
to 3 p.m., December to March
- Broadway; Sundays 11 to 3 p.m.; May 13 to Nov.
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- Columbia City; Wednesdays 3 to 7 p.m.; May 2 to Oct. 31
- Lake City; Thursdays
3 to 7 p.m.; May 17 to Oct. 4
- Madison/Madrona; Fridays 3 to 7 p.m.; May 4
to TBD
- Magnolia; Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; June 2 to Oct. 13
- Phinney Ridge;
Fridays 3 to 7 p.m.; June 15 to Sept. 28
- Queen Anne; Thursdays 3 to 7 p.m.;
June 28 to Oct. 4;
- University District; Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 5
to Dec. 29; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. January to April
- Wallingford; Wednesdays 3
to 7 p.m.; May 16 to Sept. 26
- West Seattle; Sundays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April
29 to Dec. 30; Sundays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. January & February
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Office of the Mayor
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