You may have heard the term in a number of different ways: locavorism, the 100-Mile Diet, or simply eating local. These terms all refer to the growing trend of purchasing food that has been grown and processed in one's own community. .
At first glance, this seems completely contrary to the pride we have taken in the past to be able to get foods from all over the world anytime we want. We can have Ecuadorian bananas in May, California strawberries in January, and Mexican avocados any time of the year. But at what cost?.
The average distance a grocery store's produce has to travel before it gets on your plate is 1,500 miles. That travel could be by container ship, by truck or by train. Regardless of the mode of transport, carbon emissions are created to get that food to you. Eating locally reduces those carbon emissions. If a farmer drives 30 miles into the city to sell his turnips at the local farmer's market, less fossil fuels are used than if those turnips were shipped from Mexico. .
There are other reasons why consumers choose to eat local foods. The most important of these is the transparency of the production process. You can see the farmer that grew the tomato or see the cow that ends up in your freezer. Domestic food is processed using domestic laws. Foreign producers have differing standards with regards to what pesticides and herbicides can be used and what safety rules meat cutters have to follow. In many cases, stores import goods because they are cheaper. Frequently, the goods are cheaper because the quality isn't as high or safety standards as strict. .
Another reason often cited for eating locally is being able to eat in season. A tomato that has travelled a thousand miles and reaches you in March has far less nutritional value than one picked ripe in August. Eating locally forces us to get back in tune with the seasons: peas in the spring, tomatoes in the summer, squash in the fall, and oranges in the winter.
