Many people are making a conscious effort to put a little green into their lives, from walking more and driving less, to recycling and upcycling, to eating organic or local foods.

Jeff Pastorius, however, is taking green to a whole new level.

Not only does Pastorius promote local, organic eating in our city, he makes eating local produce easy by bringing goods to your doorstep by bicycle - if you happen to live in the Old East, Old North or Woodfield neighbourhoods.

The company began in June of 2008, after Pastorius and a friend worked on a project that promoted organic eating. When that project ended, he knew he needed to do more to sate London's hunger for tasty produce, so he created Onthemove Organics.

“(Local, organic food) is important to our ecology,” he said. “Supporting locally produced food is going to reduce our carbon footprint ... Economically speaking, it's integral. We need to centralize our farming so that when we have difficulties in the marketplace . . . these farms will have a chance to support cities.”

Supporting local farms, co-operatives and businesses is central to Onthemove's philosophy. Pastorius said that meeting many local farmers — who grow Onthemove's produce less that 40 km from London — has given him some insight into the effect that big box grocery stores have had on independent growers. “I see hope in a lot of small-scale farmers ... that we'll be able to slow down the degradation of small-scale farms and turn around and build back infrastructure.”

Veggie-fueled bicyclists deliver baskets containing 10 to 15 in-season fruits and vegetables for $30. Customers can choose the specific produce they'd like in their baskets for an additional $5 fee. Orders are placed before 2 p.m. Tuesdays, then delivered on Thursdays and Fridays. The baskets are “good for two people for a week,” said Pastorius.

The community has been very supportive of Onthemove, said Pastorius. “We are constantly meeting new folks who are engaged with what were doing — they think it's interesting not only what we're doing it, but that we can continue to do it.”

In addition to food delivery, Pastorius and his small band of helpers (his sister, mother and a friend) also sell produce and other goods at the Western Fair Farmers Market on Saturdays.

Onthemove also works to establish local organic and natural farmers at farmers' markets across the city. After helping three farmers thrive in the Masonville Farmers Market, Onthemove has plans to develop new farmers' markets around the city. “The more access our local farmers have to our local marketplace, the greater chance we will have to keep them farming,” explained Pastorius. “It is far too much of a risk for our already struggling farmers to attempt new market development with no guarantee of success. Onthemove Organics takes on that risk and hard work in line with our activist roots.”

Pastorius realizes that Londoners' favourite local fruits and veggies are not available yearround. In the winter months, bike delivery ends for safety reasons, but Pastorius strives to continue providing Londoners with food that is grown as close to home as possible at his retail location at the Western Fair Farmers Market. “Ninety to 95 per cent of the food in the winter is grown on the continent,” he said. “We can't be supporting a food system where our apples are grown in New Zealand — it just doesn't work.”

From its retail space, Onthemove sells local, natural and organic products including pork and chicken, milk, lemonade, granola, flour from the Arva mill and Heritage Line dried herbs, in addition to produce.

The upper floor of the space is also home to the storage facility and production area. The walk-in fridge is constructed from 80 per cent reclaimed materials, from bicycle parts to salvaged exterior doors and garage doors. Every Saturday, this space is transformed into Onthemove's organic juice bar. Pastorius said he plans to expand the menu to include soups, salads and sandwiches made with local produce in the near future.

For more information, or to be added to the weekly delivery email list, contact Jeff Pastorius at onthemoveorganics@gmail.com.