September 2008 - Green Chile and Air Quality

Don’t you just love this month? September has to be one of the most pleasurable months of the year. Temperatures start to cool off into the 80s. The sights and smells of the harvest begin to entice us. Fact is, we are very fortunate here in the middle Rio Grande Valley to have so many farmers’ markets. They are listed on this month’s Air Notes for your convenience. They are open on different days, at different times, and are located throughout the community. So, what do farmers’ markets have to do with air quality? Anytime we purchase our produce, eggs or dairy products from local farms we reduce transportation related air pollution that affects us here, as well as globally. Transportation emissions are related to climate change issues that we are experiencing now and those that will continue to pose a problem in the future. The best and immediate bonus to buying local products is the taste and quality of vine or plant –ripened vegetables or fruits. Smell that green chile. Taste those apples and tomatoes! It doesn’t get much better than that.

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