Now that warmer weather is here, seasonal eating has become easier with more and more items coming into season each week. Seasonal eating is based on purchasing foods during their natural (or seasonal) growing times. This means you are eating them when they are at their freshest. Not only are they fresher, but they are tastier too.

Seasonal foods also pack the biggest nutritional punch. That’s because they don’t lose nutrients like fruits and vegetables that are stored or have to travel a long-distance to get to market.

But, did you ever realize that eating fresh, in-season foods actually saves you money?

If you buy items that aren’t in season, you pay a premium for them. How so? That basket of peaches you buy during winter can cost twice as much as it would if you buy it when peaches are in season locally. Having those South American peaches transported halfway around the world shows up in your food bill, not to mention it is very environmentally unfriendly.

And, if you take a look around your local supermarket, you will see that in season, fresh fruits and vegetables are the most inexpensive things there. In fact, just a quick glance at a store’s sale ad usually lists “fresh produce” on sale each week. Those sale items are usually prominently located right at the front of the store’s produce aisle.

While the supermarket is a great place to get a few of the most popular seasonal produce items on sale, the best place to buy what’s in season is at your local farmers’ market.

Not only is shopping at a farmers’ market one of the easiest ways to find in-season, locally grown fruits and vegetables, it can also save you money. Unlike the supermarket, at a farmers’ market you have the option of walking around first and checking out all of the stands to compare quality, selection and price before you buy.

One way to get the best deals at the farmers’ market is to shop the market right before they are getting ready to close. If it’s their last market of the day, most farmers don’t want to have to take produce back to the farm and are more than happy to let you have it for a bargain price. Many farmers will negotiate on price at any time the market is open.

A great resource for finding local farmers’ markets is Local Harvest. Before heading off to the farmers’ market check out Sustainable Table to find out what’s in season in your area. The Natural Resources Defense Council lists food miles and local food availability for every state and every season.

Judi Gerber is a University of California Master Gardener with a certificate in Horticultural Therapy. She writes about sustainable farming, local foods, and organic gardening for multiple magazines. Her book Farming in Torrance and the South Bay was released in September 2008.

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Common knowledge tells us that organic food is good food. It is tasty to eat, good for the environment, and safer for the farmers and workers who produce it. Since agriculture is responsible for much of the pollution of the waterways, choosing organic is the eco-choice for those who want to live a more sustainable life.

Eating organic may be one of best ways to keep your body healthy and the world’s ecosystems strong. Which organic fruits and vegetables to buy with your hard earned cash can be confusing. Some produce has less pesticides, while others are laden with chemical residues. Some are obvious, because of their thick skin (bananas), while others are penetrable (berries).

Is buying organic worth the extra cost? The jury is still out. It seems that the research has yet to prove an adverse health effect from consuming the low levels of pesticides that are commonly found in U.S. food. This may be inconclusive, but as Time magazine points out, “Even if conventional foods don’t turn out to be as dangerous as organic advocates claim, several recent studies have suggested that organic foods contain higher levels of vitamins than their conventionally grown counterparts.” Also, for the most vulnerable groups, such as children and pregnant women, as well as for those who are interested in sustainable growing practices (and their health), buying organic makes sense. Especially, the fruits and vegetables that carry the heaviest pesticide load. Here are 15 reasons to buy organic food.

Want to get the most bang for your organic buck? Check out Heidi Kenney’s free downloadable Dirty Dozen Cheat Sheet. When you are food shopping and need to make that quick decision on whether to spend a little more for organic, the Cheat Sheet makes that decision simple. The convenient, credit card-sized guide separates 27 common fruits and veggies into two categories, those that generally have a low pesticide content and those that don’t. Cool Hunting claims it is the, “world’s cutest pocket guide to buying organic.” The guide is based on the Environmental Working Group’s comprehensive list of the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15. If you’ve got an iPhone you can download the Shoppers Guide to Pesticides.

Do you buy organic? If so, what do you think are the most important fruits and vegetables to purchase?

Image credit: http://www.mypapercrane.com/blog/?p=2135#comments

Ronnie Citron-Fink is a writer and educator. Ronnie regularly writes about sustainable living for online sites and magazines. Along with being the creator of www.econesting.com, Ronnie has contributed to numerous books about green home design, DIY, children, and humor. Ronnie lives the Hudson Valley of New York with her family.

By Blythe Copeland, Planet Green

This Mother’s Day, forget the flowers: Instead, treat your mom to gifts and accessories handmade by other moms around the world, choosing Fair Trade, artisan-made, and one-of-a-kind classics (like jewelry, bags, shoes, and even gourmet snacks) that help impoverished women and local entrepreneurs make their mark on the global economy. From intricate bags beaded by women in Africa to gluten-free crackers from a pair of moms in Colorado, we’ve got a lineup of gifts that do as much for others as they do for you—now wouldn’t your mom be proud?

1. Doreen Mashika Accessories

Designer Doreen Mashika returned to her birthplace in Tanzania as an adult—after an education and business career that took her through Italy, Switzerland, and England—to combine her two passions: luxury goods and vintage jewelry. Now, her collection of bags, bracelets, earrings, ballet flats, and other accessories show off local gems and recycled glass beads. But the best part? All of her pieces are handmade under Fair Trade conditions by women in nearby villages.

2. Earth Divas Bags

Busy moms need plenty of places to stash their stuff, and the Fair Trade bags at Earth Divas have a style for everyone: the beaded hobo with a shoulder strap that ties at the top so you can adjust the length is just right for the new mom balancing bottles and binkies; a clutch made with recycled silk is the perfect date night accessory; and a chic hemp handbag lets working moms carry everything they need at home and at work.

3. Handmade Gifts from Etsy Moms

Browsing the shops of handmade goods on Etsy means you’re guaranteed to find a one-of-a-kind gift (which is especially good news for over-competitive siblings trying to outdo each other on May 9). But stick with shops run by women who are mothers themselves and you’ll be helping other families all over the country (and the world). Check out the Etsy Mom blog for product showcases, interviews with designers-slash-moms, and gift giveaways that will no doubt be better than whatever your sister came up with.

4. Two Moms in the Raw Snacks

If your mom is an aspiring gourmet-health nut, then help her stock her pantry with organic, gluten-free foods from Two Moms in the Raw, a pair of Colorado-based mothers who make granola and crackers that are 100% vegan—and entirely free of oil and refined sugar. Try Garden Herb or Pesto Sea Crackers and Raw Goji Berry or Raw Cranberry Granola for a tasty treat that’s much healthier than your annual sausage-pancakes-and-mimosas brunch.

5. Hands Up Not Handouts Jewelry

Moms love to give advice, and if your moms favorite tip is “Accessories make the outfit” then she’ll love the goods at Hands Up Not Handouts. This company, which sources bright bracelets from Palestine and modern earrings from Rwanda, supports women in both countries with the production, marketing, and designing of the jewelry—and then puts all the proceeds back into the business and the communities where the women live.

6. Women’s Peace Collection Goods

The difference between the Women’s Peace Collection and other female-driven groups is simple: the WPC focuses specifically on helping women in regions torn by or recovering from war. Give your mom a Jerusalem Candle of Hope made by women in Israel and Palestine; a Peace Basket woven in Darfur or Sudan; a beaded bracelet from Afghanistan; drop earrings from Nepal; or a silk bag from Vietnam, and help support mothers and children who are trying to support themselves.

7. Donate to the International Rescue Committee

Maybe your mom has enough stuff. (Most moms do.) In that case, honor her with a donation to the Interational Rescue Committee, a group that works with refugees around the world to address medical issues, education, resettlement, and legal aid. You can make a flat donation kit or purchase an item that will help a mother elsewhere in the world, like a prenatal care kit or a scholarship to summer school for her child.

Planet Green is the multi-platform media destination devoted to the environment and dedicated to helping people understand how humans impact the planet and how to live a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle. Its two robust websites, planetgreen.com and TreeHugger.com, offer original, inspiring, and entertaining content related to how we can evolve to live a better, brighter future. Planet Green is a division of Discovery Communications.

By Becky Striepe, Green Options

There are lots of ecofriendly gift wrap options out there if you’re feeling the traditional, paper wrapping thing. If you want to branch out a bit, though, you might try wrapping some gifts this year using the traditional Japanese method furoshiki. Here’s how!

Rather than paper that gets tossed after a single use, furoshiki involves wrapping gifts in beautiful cloth that can be used over and over again! The Japanese Ministry of the Environment has a great visual guide showing how to wrap all sorts of gift items.

For a little more detail on the various methods, check out this great video demonstration:

Pretty awesome, right? You can really use any pretty piece of fabric as long as it’s big enough. Want to be even more eco-friendly this gift-giving season? Try making your own gifts rather than buying them from the store.