Better for the World
Decreased Food Miles
"Food miles" refer to the distance a food item travels from the farm to your home. The food miles for items in the grocery store are, on average, 27 times higher than the food miles for goods bought from local sources. source
A tremendous amount of fossil fuel is burned to transport foods such long distances, releasing carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and other pollutants that contribute to global climate change, acid rain, smog and air and sea pollution. The refrigeration required to keep our fruits, vegetables, dairy products and meats from spoiling during their long journeys burn up even more fossil fuel.
In contrast, local and regional food systems produce 17x less CO2. source And a Japanese study found that eating local food would be the equivalent of cutting household energy use by 20%.
- Food miles: How far your food travels has serious consequences for your health and the climate (Article)
Less Packaging
Food processors use a large amount of paper and plastic packaging to keep fresh food from spoiling as it is transported and stored for long periods of time. Much of this packaging is difficult or impossible to reuse or recycle.
Less Pollution
It is estimated that the U.S. food system is responsible for at least 20 percent of U.S. greenhouse gases. source The biggest part of fossil fuel use in industrial farming is not transporting food or fueling machinery; it's chemicals. As much as 40 percent of the energy used in the food system goes towards the production of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. source
Many argue that these chemicals are needed to boost production. Others studies show that sustainable agricultural practices (eg organic, no-till, or just good agricultural practices and land management such as buffer zones, integrated pest management and others) can actually increase food production by up to 79% while at the same time actively reducing both soil erosion and the effects of farming on climate change through carbon sequestration. source
Local farms are run by farmers who live on their land and work hard to preserve it. They protect open spaces by keeping land in agricultural use and preserve natural habitats by maintaining forest and wetlands. Which, of course, makes for a nicer area for the rest of us to live.
