DOWN TO EARTH JOINS KANU HAWAII'S SEPTEMBER "EAT LOCAL" CHALLENGE!

Honolulu, HI (Aug. 18, 2011)-- This September Down to Earth ALL VEGETARIAN Organic & Natural will participate in Kanu Hawaii's Annual Eat Local Challenge! by offering special vegetarian cooking classes and in-store recipe demos and sampling featuring local produce, and with a special sale offering 15% off select produce at all its locations.

Kanu Hawai‘i’s Eat Local Challenge will engage thousands of islanders in the effort to build a more sustainable, secure, and healthy local food system. The month will feature weekly mini-challenges devoted to “growing our own” food, learning and sharing resources about challenges facing local agriculture, and how/where to eat local.

Inspired by Gandhi’s famous directive to “be the change you wish to see in the world,” the local social action network Kanu Hawaii aims to motivate social change on a grass-roots level.

"At Down to Earth, we hope our efforts will help and inspire people to support the local food movement by becoming familiar with the issue, spreading the word and buying local produce," says Mark Fergusson, Down to Earth's Chief Vegetarian Officer (CEO/CFO).

Free "Eat Local" Cooking Classes, Demos
Down to Earth provides free vegetarian cooking classes year-round at all its locations. To help promote the "Eat Local" campaign, Down to Earth will focus its September vegetarian cooking classes and demonstrations on a variety of local produce and ingredients.

• For September Vegetarian Cooking Classes click here
• For September In-Store Demos click here

15% Off "Eat Local" Sale
In addition, Down to Earth's special sale for the "Eat Local Challenge" will be promoted in a hard-copy edition of its "Weekly Produce Super Deals" flyer that will be available at all locations during September and online. Visit the company's "Weekly Produce Super Deals" on its website. Customers may also look for special "Eat Local" signs that will be displayed by each produce item that will be included in this "Eat Local" promotion. Sale items will include local:

• Mangoes – Ululani Farms, Ho'olehua, Molokai
• Solo Papayas – Diamond Head Papaya, Puna, Big Island
• Apple Bananas – Sugar Land Farms, Waialua, Oahu
• Avocados – Johnson Farms, Puna, Big Island
• Pineapples – Hali’ imaile, Maui
• Thai Watermelons – Aloun Farms, Ewa, Oahu
• Organic Papayas – Kumu Farms, Molokai
• Organic Apple Bananas – Ono Farms, Hana, Maui
• Corn – Kahuku Farms, Kahuku, Oahu
• Okinawan Sweet Potatoes Xinglong Farms, Papaikou, Big Island
• Tomatoes – Sugarland Farms, Kunia, Oahu
• Local Lettuce – Various farms from neighbor islands

Local honey will also be featured, as well as Nutrex Spirulina from the Kona coast of the Big Island.

Down to Earth Supports Local Farmers!
Down to Earth typically purchases nearly $2.5 million in products from 400 local vendors including 172 farmers and growers each year!

"We strongly support local farmers through our policy of purchasing virtually all the produce they are willing to sell us—even if it’s only a crate full," explains Fergusson. "The reason we do this is simple. Customers prefer local produce because it is fresher and better for the environment. It consumes less energy in transporting products to our islands. Purchasing from local vendors supports our local communities, and we appreciate the opportunity to help farmers succeed."