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nov 20

Finding Better Food Close to Home

The typical American meal contains ingredients from at least five countries outside the United States. Garlic from China, asparagus from Peru, peppers from the Netherlands, tomatoes from Mexico, and raspberries from Chile... most food has traveled thousands of miles to reach your grocery store's produce aisle. By choosing local produce, you can reduce fuel consumption and global warming pollution associated with transporting food, support local farmers, strengthen the local economy, and protect the environment -- all by eating fresher, tastier fruits and vegetables!

Local produce offers better flavor for less money. You might find fresh-picked berries, brussel sprouts on the stalk, tomatoes that have ripened on the vine and eggs that were laid yesterday at your local farmer's market. When it only takes an hour to drive food to market, food arrives fresh, ripe and bursting with flavor. Buying directly from family farmers in your area helps them stay in business. And by buying local, it means that your food isn't traveling long distances by planes, trains, trucks and ships, which all consume energy and spew pollution that contributes to global warming and unhealthy air quality.

Food miles are the distance food travels from where it is grown to where it is ultimately purchased or consumed. Food miles -- and the resulting pollution -- increase substantially when we consider produce and goods imported from halfway around the world. Imports by airplane have a substantial impact on global warming pollution. In 2005, the import of fruits, nuts, and vegetables into California by airplane released more than 70,000 tons of CO2, which is equivalent to more than 12,000 cars on the road. The effects all this pollution can have on our health may be reflected in high rates of asthma and other respiratory symptoms.

At the grocery store, avoid buying produce that has been flown in from abroad. Cherries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, tomatoes, bell peppers and asparagus are the main fruits and vegetables most frequently shipped by air. Instead, look for local produce. Use NRDC's online guide to find out what fruits and vegetables are in season in your area.

NRDC is working to reduce the health and environmental costs of food transport by cleaning up dirty diesel ships, trucks, and equipment; encouraging energy efficiency; collecting fees on shipping containers to help reduce the health and environmental impacts of shipping; and promoting local agriculture.

But all you have to do is buy better tasting, fresher, locally-grown food. Reducing pollution has never tasted so good!

MinuteMorningMonth
  • Choose local produce when it's in season. Check NRDC's online guide to find out what's in season in your area.
  • Avoid buying produce that has been flown in from abroad.
  • Encourage businesses, schools and government bodies to adopt procurement policies favoring locally grown, organic and sustainably harvested foods that are minimally processed.



Comments (1)
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1. 11/26/2007 02:39:59 PM
It is so important to give our local farmers our business. The produce and homemade products are fresh and affordable. In refusing to buy produce from other countries you also cut down on the flight fuel needed to ship this cargo; this equals less harmful emissions. It fosters a respect for the land around us and its caretakers as well. Lower the demand for outside products if it is available in our towns. This simple step affects so many things. Try growing tomatos in your home as a project with the kids, lettuce grows just as easily! There are so many ways to eat locally!
Written by Bobbie Robinson (Guest)

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