Saving the planet by eating locally

BY BILL BRADLEY

Actor Matt Hill, 40, and motivational speaker Stephanie Tait, 26, are running full-out for Planet Earth and trying to live as sustainable lifestyles as possible.

The Vancouver residents were at Durham Natural Foods, Monday, as part of a cross-continent, 11,000-mile marathon that will take them a year to complete. Their non-profit eco-organization, called Run For One Planet, is organizing their trek. Financially they hope to raise $1 million to fund more green marathons in cities across the continent.

Gilles Roy and his brother Ray have been operating the health food store for 30 years in various locations in the city.

Gilles Roy has noticed that there has been an increase in Canadian and Ontario sustainable food products that meets a growing demand for more local foodstuffs.

"We do not stock fresh produce. We do carry flours, noodles, soups, dried beans and flax seed, for example, that now can be sourced closer to where our consumers live. They ask for that a lot these days. Eating locally, organically produced food products is a trend that I think is here to stay," said Roy.

As Hill and Tait have entered Ontario, the couple find their message of sustainability is popular.

"Out west people are sympathetic and will listen to us. But here in Ontario we are noticing they are more ready to take action," said Tait.

For more information, visit www.runforoneplanet.com .