This Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. MP and NDP leader Jack Layton, MPP Peter Tabuns and City Councillor Paula Fletcher are inviting people to a "100 mile" barbecue in Riverdale Park East. (Facebook's event listing, or for non-FB folks, Upcoming's event listing)

If you're unfamiliar with the concept, the "100 Mile Diet" is based around being limited to foods which have been produced within a 100 mile radius of where you would be buying and eating them.

The 100 Mile Diet website lists lots of reasons to eat locally, from the quality and diversity of the food at your table to the solidified sense of community, but the biggest issue is likely the environmental impact of our typical grocery system.

"A study in Iowa found that a regional diet consumed 17 times less oil and gas than a typical diet based on food shipped across the country," according to the site, which also claims that, "when the average North American sits down to eat, each ingredient has typically travelled at least 1,500 miles."

If you're interested in trying this, or just getting a better idea of how it might be possible, the BBQ should (hopefully) be a nice introduction - although going by any of the currently-running farmers' markets and inquiring about the food is plenty pleasant too.

Vegetarian/vegan options will also be available. Not only that, but they'll be cooked by means of a solar carbon-free system.

(Photo: Where's the beef? by photendo, aka Ryan C.)