i miss the flavorful strawberries we buy from the local farmers market in princeton, new jersey. when the fruit is not in season we simply buy from the supermarket, but the meal tastes so much richer when the strawberries are in season.

new jersey is one of the top producers in the united states with more than 10,000 farms statewide, according to the new jersey department of agriculture. the new jersey agriculture sector brings in about 1 billion dollars in revenue. our state’s economy depends on its farms more than the average jersey girl or boy may realize – and that means climate change is a serious problem for the garden state.

climate change is creating adverse conditions for crops to grow in, increasing the chance of crop failure. the entire northeast is at risk as increased precipitation and heat stress threaten the land and consequently the growth of certain crops. there has been a 70% increase of heavy precipitation in the northeast, and estimates show up to 70 more days per year with a maximum temperature greater than 90°f, in certain areas of jersey, between 2041 and 2070. i foresee a future summer, perhaps in the next 100 years, when strawberries may not grow because of adverse weather.

is it possible that one day my grandchildren won’t have fresh strawberries to eat with angel cake?

strawberries are a start to thinking about a much larger picture, one that is sometimes hard to imagine. the bottom line is that climate change has a domino effect on many different aspects of our lives because land, energy and water are all interwoven necessities.

this means that our food, one way or another, will be impacted. it’s important to ask questions: how can climate change affect the dinner table, weekend trips to the beach or road trips to grandma’s?

eventually your questions will get you thinking about other ways climate change will change your lifestyle. so ask questions, join the conversation, and share with others how climate change may impact you.

thanksgiving is next week and then finals are just around the corner. the first semester of my senior year at college is practically over and it’s around this time that i crave new food options. i decided i want to try more sustainable food alternatives, but i face two big issues: lack of knowledge and access. naturally, as any journalism student would do, i researched what sustainable food practices my university offered. surely, i was not the only college student who shared this feeling.

george washington university is located in the heart of washington, d.c., the epicenter of political mess, horrible traffic, and hot summers. my expectations were not too high. where could they build gardens? next to my dorm, on the sidewalk? can students join community-supported agriculture? doubtful. how can i buy organic? trader joe’s and whole foods are in the neighborhood, but have you seen the prices?

after i learned about the sustainable food and dining options at gw from the sustainability at gw homepage, i felt less skeptical. we have the grow garden on campus, and, as of this past summer, gwu students have an easy pickup location for the freshfarm markets community supported agriculture program. plus, the foggy bottom farmers market now accepts our gworld card, which makes it more convenient for students to buy their groceries there. we’ve got some options.

there is definitely an effort on behalf of gwu to create a more sustainable food system — but how come i didn’t know? when i did learn about csa, i went to sign up online and unfortunately, i was too late and all the shares were sold out. all these options, but it’s the first time i am aware of them. i am happy to know there are options, but for students not actively seeking these alternatives to chipotle, sweetgreen or roti, how will they be encouraged to try it?

perhaps lack of access is not the problem like i thought it was, but rather lack of information. where is the bold text saying, “here is a meal plan option for students who want to use csa or other sustainable food options.” isn’t this marketable? 

until it becomes more ingrained, the organic trend will continue to pick up slowly on campus. perhaps what we need is an incentive – for example, an organic meal plan option that allocates money to buy organic produce from the grow garden.

how do you choose organic products?

the first step, of course, is figuring out what products are organic. luckily, there’s a smartphone app. the true food app, developed by the center for food safety, is a shopper’s guide that tells what produce is in season and what brands are organic. the true food app includes four simple tips to easily avoid genetically modified foods, information on why you should avoid gmo’s, as well as an update center with related news developments on gmo’s and more. the true food app enables its users be informed and take action on gmo’s.

why true food app?

according to the center for food safety, it has been estimated that about 75% of processed foods on supermarket shelves contain genetically modified ingredients. fortunately, organic products are now available in nearly 20,000 natural food stores and nearly 3 out of 4 conventional grocery stores. the options are there, and the true food app makes them easy to find. i recommend downloading the free true food app and join it’s network that is over 400,000 members strong. going organic is a growing movement, and more companies are joining with lower prices to offer because of consumer demands. so use true food app to make the organic choice.

anahi ruiz is a senior at the george washington university majoring in journalism and mass communication with a minor in spanish.