I was standing in the Produce Department the other day, admiring the start of the season’s local bounty when a customer flagged me over for some assistance. “What’s the deal with all of these ‘lo-cal’ signs on everything? Why is it so important that produce be low in calories?”
“Oh that’s not ‘lo-cal,’ as in low calorie,” I said, “it means ‘local,’ as in it was grown, or produced nearby.” Looking satisfied, the customer selected some delicious looking vegetables and moved on to the local, but decidedly not ‘lo-cal’ pastries near the Juice Bar. I, meanwhile, was left standing in front of the sign wondering what local really means for the products in our store, for our business practices in the community, for the people like me who work here, and for the shoppers who support the unique focus on local sourcing of the products we use and enjoy each day.












How do I start? Take the 

