Plant vegetables in raised beds, using safe, untreated wood.

Long-distance transport of food requires more pesticides and preservatives, packaging, refrigeration, and fuel, and every step of the way, generates huge amounts of waste and pollution, including global warming gases. So really cut the distance from the soil to the table by growing your own. You don’t need a lot of space to grow vegetables; even a windowsill or sunny terrace can produce a steady supply of lettuce and tomatoes. But if you have a yard, or a roof top, consider putting in some raised vegetable beds (which help manage the weeds), and start planting. But choose carefully the material you use to make the beds. Whether using scrap or buying new boards, be sure to avoid wood that has been treated with a hazardous wood preservative (pesticides added to protect wood against attack by fungi, bacteria, or insects).

Pentachlorophenol (Penta) is an extremely toxic wood preservative that builds up in the food chain and our bodies and is passed on to our children through breast milk. Chromated copper arsenate (CCA), often used in “pressure-treated lumber” commonly available in retail outlets, contains both arsenic and chromium. According to recent studies, arsenic, an extremely potent carcinogen, can be absorbed through the skin on contact with treated wood, and can collect in the soil under most CCA-treated wood applications. Exposure to chromium can increase one’s cancer risk.

If you want to use treated wood, to reduce the potential for rotting, look for those preservative ingredients that are less toxic, including copper compounds, zinc compounds, and borates, but individual product hazards vary widely. Or you might want to consider alternatives to wood, such as recycled plastic lumber or cinder blocks, which last virtually forever.

How much you spend to start a garden will depend on its size. But the return on investment is huge, as you enjoy fresh homegrown vegetables all season long. In fact, why stop with just the growing season; freeze some of your own tomatoes and enjoy garden-fresh sauces, soups and salsa all year round.