The New Oxford American Dictionary named “locavore” as the word of the year. As the Grist explains,
For you non-locavores, the word is defined as “a person who endeavors to eat only locally produced food.” It was coined about two years ago by four San Francisco women who popularized the idea of the 100-mile diet.
I heard about it on NPR on New Year’s eve, because they had an annoying commentator who was bent on dismissing the whole idea, and at this particular time, there was no counterbalance. So annoyed, I wrote to them:
When locavore advocates talk about eating locally, they educate and enlighten all of us about the consequences of our consumption. Your commentator Amy Stewart, is the one talking about us talking about our eating. Was she purposely writing a textbook example of irony, or does she really believe that we’re better off being ignorant about the sources of our food? “Shutting up and eating” is something America has done for far too long, with severe consequences for our health and environment.
