As it is mid-summer, many seasonal fruits and veggies are in their prime. For most of us, that means that local farmer’s markets are abundant with ripe, delicious summer produce like tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers and melons. It’s hard to debate that these homegrown varieties taste far better than their mass-marketed, mass-produced supermarket counterparts and they are better for you and the planet, as well.
Local produce is allowed more time to ripen on the vine, since growers don’t have to worry about ripening during transport. This means that the produce has time to develop a better taste and also means a higher nutrient content. The reduction in transportation may also result in a lower price and certainly less fuel—good for the environment, as well as your wallet.
In the article “Food, Fuel and Freeways” published by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture in Iowa, the average conventional food travels as much as 1,500 miles or more to reach its destination, compared to just shy of 45 miles for locally produced items. This adds up to as much as 17 times as much fuel and 17 times the carbon dioxide emissions than if people were to buy locally grown foods!
http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/staff/ppp/food_mil.pdf
In short, buy locally or regionally grown products whenever you can. It boosts your local economy, saves gas, costs less, is more nutritious, and better for the Earth.
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