Buy a Blemished Product

This is a topic that hits close to home right now. I am in a place where I don't own my own land and what little space I do have gets regularly sprayed with noxious chemicals. Growing in window-sills is about the only safe option I have. The local farmer's market is a bit underwhelming and offers only select products. I could get a much better farmer's market if I was willing to do a long drive, but that somewhat negates the earth-friendly nature of things. I have settled for shopping at a store chain dedicated to favoring local products. With that said, I think it is worth noting that even the best grocery is pitching anything that looks even a little under par. Anything with a major blemish never makes it to the shelf at all and minor blemishes do appear, but get picked over until the product has to be thrown out. It is my suggestion to anyone who does shop at a grocery to look for the most blemishes you can tolerate. Obviously don't go for rotting food, but a nick or bad bit can be easily cut away without any noticeable loss on your part. The more of us who are willing to tolerate imperfect fruit in the stores, the more likely they are to allow them to make it to market and the less waste our food system will produce. The total fuel per unit would go down tremendously if each person in the store bought one blemished product per visit. More so if they bought more. This logic holds true in other products as well, since most food has an expiration date and will last beyond it. Just as an example, bread with only a day or two left before expiration is not always the softest, but makes amazing bread puddings, stuffings and french toasts. These are just my thoughts, but I hope others will read them and perhaps a few will change their buying habits in this minor way to make a major impact even if they have no other way of affecting positive change.