• become a Zoo member
• make a donation
• become a Zoo volunteer
• be an educated voter
• make your purchase count
• travel with the Zoo

Take Action

Taste the Difference

The trouble with turkeys is that you don't know where they've been. Finding out, however, can be as easy as pumpkin pie, when you buy local. More >

Learn Your Labels

Certified organic, farm-raised, free-range, grass-fed... the list seems endless. But what do these eco-labels really mean? More >

Eat Seasonally

Eggplant out of season? Not to worry, winter squash is a worthy replacement. Learn the secrets of eating sustainably without sacrificing your favorite dishes. More >

Vegetarians and meat-eaters unite! Whether your favorite restaurant is a steakhouse or a salad bar, there is one thing we all have in common: We all love to eat! What we choose to eat and where our food comes from, however, affects more than our appetites. Around the world, unsustainable farming, harvesting and hunting practices are having negative impacts on the landscape, the environment and human health. Wildlife populations and the habitat they need to survive are also at stake. We seem to be risking it all in the name of a good meal. But there's a way to have your cake and eat it too.

The majority of your favorite dishes can be prepared with produce, meats and vegetables that have been grown or raised locally, using techniques that don't harm the environment and are beneficial to human health. Unlike agribusiness and factory farming that contribute significantly to air, water and soil pollution, both sustainable and organic farms produce foods that are as rich in flavor as they are in nutrients while conserving resources and using farming practices that are in sync with natural biological cycles. Buying from community farms also helps strengthen local economies and offers incentive to farmers who rely on consumer demand to make sustainable farming techniques cost-effective. Fortunately, you may already be part of the solution.

The common ingredients in tofu potpie, chicken a la king and boeuf bourguignonne are carrots and onions. If you're making one of these recipes and you purchase carrots and onions from a local farm stand or the organic section of your supermarket, you've made a sustainable food choice. It's that easy, whether you're a meat-eater or vegetarian. To make it even simpler, there's the Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign to guide you. Buy Fresh, Buy Local is a national marketing campaign developed by the Food Routes Network. The aim of the campaign is to promote a recognizable label that lets consumers know the food is fresh, flavorful and local. In Pennsylvania, the collaborative efforts of several organizations working with Food Routes, including the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Farm to City and the Philadelphia Fair Food Project, have produced a flurry of initiatives to bring the Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign closer to home. One example is the Local Food Guide, which concentrates on sustainable farms in the Philadelphia region and is a wonderful resource for finding everything from farmers' markets to area restaurants that cook with sustainable food. Another, the Fair Food Farmstand at Reading Terminal Market, a creation of the Fair Food Project, is an effective way of connecting city folk with farm-fresh delights. Sustainable farming is also good news for wildlife.

Page 1 of 2 >