If you ever needed a reminder to buy your food locally, the E. coli outbreak that’s contaminated spinach over the last couple of weeks is it.

The spinach that’s made people sick is being mass- produced in California on mega-farms that have to wash it in chlorine and seal it in plastic bags before they ship it all over the country...even though this is a green that most farmers in most parts of the country can grow very easily on their own “back 40.”

What can you do? Buy spinach that’s locally grown. To find it, visit www.foodroutes.org. Next to a map of the U.S., plug in the word “spinach” as well as your zip code. You’ll be able to locate the closest farmers markets, food coops, community supported agriculture, and maybe even some farmers who’ll direct deliver freshly-picked spinach to you.

If you can’t find a convenient shopping option, ask the produce manager of your grocery store to stock locally-grown spinach and other fresh foods.

Meanwhile, if you’re still uncomfortable buying spinach, consider substituting arugula, green beans, broccoli, and mixed vegetables...all locally grown, of course!

In addition to these twice-a-month updates, we're regularly adding new content to our website: www.theworldwomenwant. What'll you find? Look for green shopping tips, eco-friendly projects, and a wealth of information for greener, cleaner, safer living that will often save you time and money, too. For more, go to the "Your World" section of our site.