Good food can come in a box.
The Good Food Box program, which has been running in Prince George since 2002, offers 20 pounds of as-local-as-possible fresh fruits and vegetables for $15, said Jovanka Djordjevich, the co-ordinator of the program.
She said the program's initial goal was to encourage residents to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, but it has shifted a little toward encouraging people to think about buying local.
"We want to see people eating from their own backyards. Now we know not everyone can do that, and buying local is the next best thing," said Djordjevich.
More recently, the Prince George Public Interest Research Group (PGPIRG) has started distributing the Good Food Box as a way to encourage and give students access to more sustainable foods.
Kasia Caputa, PGPIRG's food coordinator, said the goal is to have 100 boxes sold a month.More than 75 boxes purchased for October and November.
The idea of fresh produce at an affordable price and buying directly from local farms is appealing to a lot of people, she said.
"I think that a lot more people are becoming more conscious of how environmentally destructive and socially irresponsible our current food system can be, and how vulnerable many communities are to food insecurity," said Caputa.
"Promoting local food production is a way to address these issues, and the best way to promote local production is to choose to buy local food wherever possible."
Food is something that impacts everyone, and cuts across many social and cultural issues in society, said Scott Green, a professor at UNBC.
"Food is one of the most intimate parts of our life, it's very social. Yet the way we do food has completely eroded - everything is produced. You don't have to know how to grow it, how to harvest it, how to process it. As long as you know how to turn on a microwave, you're good to go," said Green.
Historically, food has always been part of culture, particularly in the North, said Green.
In today's society, the food issue is often linked to poverty, as people with lower income can't afford to buy fresh produce, he said. Programs like the Good Food Box, the farmer's market or the community garden projects is a way for people to take on more control in their life, Green added.
"The core of all this is sustainability. We're trying to achieve sustainability not only in the environment, but but for economics, culture and society. As a community we have to work together, a collaboration among a diverse group of people," said Green.
"The Good Food Box is a way of thinking and talking about these issues."
The Good Food Box is distributed at eight different locations in the city every third Thursday of the month. For more information or to volunteer with the program, contact Jovanka Djordjevich at 250-564-3859.
