In spite of the recent article in Adage, I’m going to say no, green hasn’t stopped giving, it has simply changed. Where before, the big push for green marketing resided in the CPG category, it is now shifting to food. There is a new movement in the vast world of eating called Farm-to-Table, and it does more for our environment than buying Green household cleaners for the rest of your life will (although you probably still should.)

Farm-to-Table is simple. It is about cutting out the middleman – distributors, packagers, and commercial vendors – and buying all your food straight from the farm in which it was grown. So, it cuts out harmful packaging materials from the environment such as plastics, it reduces the amount of fuel it takes to transport bananas from tropical islands to New York City in December, and it means supporting your local economy by purchasing food straight from local farmers. And it is not just for restaurants. The whole goal of Farm-to-Table is to get the individual out to their local farmers market and buy their food for the week which they can cook at home.

As with all things Green, there are some sacrifices, although I like to think of them in a more positive light. First, buying Farm-to-Table means eating seasonally, which simply means that certain food won’t be available at certain times of the year. It also means taking a Saturday morning (or whatever day it may be) to go down to your local farmer’s market and picking up some fresh produce, eggs, homemade cheese, etc. You may end up paying a bit more for locally made yogurt than the kind that took 1000 miles to travel to your grocery store, but your extra dollar is going right back into your local economy.  In short, it requires a few modifications to your lifestyle.

But this is exactly what Adage is saying consumers are revolting against. Green spending is down, and the words – Go Green – are no longer enough to get consumers to act. So why not leverage exactly what you are selling? Local. That is exactly what CNN and Foursquare have joined forces to do, and this is how Green has officially gone hyperlocal. Now if you follow CNN at Foursquare.com/CNN and check in at your local farmer’s market you can unlock the special CNN “Healthy Eater” badge. What is great is that this badge can save you money! Participating farmers will either discount you food or include a free gift. What a smart little bit of Green Marketing!

As someone who tries to live as environmentally friendly as possible, I know it isn’t always easy to wake up early to go and buy produce. But, doesn’t the fact that you can win a badge make it worth it?! Okay, maybe not for everyone. But, you can also save money and you will be doing your body, your local economy and our world a big favor. What more could you ask for?

Find your local farmer’s market and get your badge!

Still not convinced? Share your thoughts on what it would take to get you out to your local Farmer’s Market this week.

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