Sustainable Eating in the Outer Banks

     As a narrow chain of sand bars off of the mainland coast, the Outer Banks do not have much in the way of sustainable food sources, aside from the obvious bounties of the sea.  However, even this reservoir is scarcely exploited, as a modern economy favors the importation of commodities and tropical delicacies alike to satisfy plundering tourists.  Eateries that do offer local catches are somewhat rare and offer the dishes as a delicacy, rather than a staple.  One is more likely to encounter Alaskan salmon at the grocery store than local catches, and this fact motivates activists like Jamie Berger, a student at UNC, to push for sustainable food sources according to the principles of bioregionalism, which are, in turn, funded through a "town-owned and operated farmers’, fishermen’s, and artisans’ market" (Berger).  This self-reliance is especially important for the Outer Banks since their land-based lifelines could easily be severed by natural hazards.
     The Outer Banks are also making great strides in reducing their collective environmental impact.  To name a few achievements, 80% of the land in Dare County is owned by National or State parks, the Outer Banks are moving toward banning plastic bags from grocery stores, and Dare County has the highest recycling rate per capita of the entire state.  A few simple changes go a long way toward making the Outer Banks even greater.

Sources:
http://outerbanksvoice.com/2011/03/09/food-a-source-of-sustenance-and-sustainability/ 
http://www.outerbanks.org/outerbanks-sustainability/
http://www.outerbanks.org/outerbanks-eat-local/