We are fortunate to live in California with so many fresh food options, grown right here in our backyard. So why should be purchase food grown out of state (or country) that has to be trucked or shipped thousands of miles? Purchasing locally grown foods benefits the local economy, saves energy, preserves the environment and reduces CO2 emissions. The "San Mateo County: As Fresh as it Gets" Awards program recognizes local restaurants, hotels and caterers that make it a point to buy and serve produce from local San Mateo County growers, seafood caught off of San Mateo County's coastline, local goat cheese and beer and wine made in the county. A corporate category was added this year to recognize companies making an effort to serve their employees or students the freshest local fare.

Seafood is the only food source that is still actively hunted by humans on a large scale. Once it seemed the ocean would supply an endless bounty of seafood, but today, we are discovering its limits. Off New England, cod were once so plentiful that boats had trouble pushing through them. Now the cod are nearly gone, and a centuries-old fishing tradition is ending. Other overfished species include sharks, bluefin tuna and many kinds of West Coast rockfish. When one kind of fish is no longer plentiful, fishermen must move on to new species.

Bottom Line: Become part of the global warming solution by going on a Low Carbon Diet!

This "30 Day Program to Lose 5000 Pounds" is a fun, accessible, easy to use guide written by David Gerbson that will show you, step-by-step, how to dramatically reduce your CO2 output in just a month's time!

Supported with over two decades of environmental behavior change research; this illustrated workbook offers much more than a list of eco-friendly actions. It walks you through every step of the process, from calculating your current CO2 "footprint" to tracking your progress.

By making simple changes to actions you take every day, you'll learn how to reduce your annual household CO2 output by at least 15%! And, for those who are more ambitious, you'll discover how you can help your workplace, local schools, and community do the same. Join the growing number of citizens who have decided to take global warming into their own hands. "Low Carbon Diet" is the winner of the 2007 Independent Publisher "Most Likely to Save the Planet" Book Award.