Local is good, right?
Yes, it is. Sometimes.
Sometimes? Hang on a minute!
My last couple of blogs have been saying how wonderful local farmers’ markets are, and encouraging everyone to buy local.
Local is great from an eco-friendly point of view, because your food does not have to travel vast distances. So it should be fresher, and its carbon footprint is less than food which has been transported over a longer distance.
And there are all the other benefits too: connection with local community, knowing where your food comes from, the farmer being a person you know rather than a faceless provider, and a stronger local economy.
But what happens if some of that locally-grown food is not so good? If, for example, it is sprayed with chemicals?
It may be “freshly picked this morning”, but how was it grown?
Like most things in life, ask! Most markets are friendly and relaxed, and most vendors will be more than happy to chat to you about their food.
We need sustainable agriculture – ideally that would be local too. The more we support sustainable agriculture, the more farmers will be able to make a living from it, and then it will become local for more people.
We want nourishing, nutritious food. If a local supplier does not meet that goal, it is generally better to buy elsewhere, even if it does mean a higher transportation cost to the environment. In those cases, local may not be better.
I think it comes down to a question of priorities. Yes, I want to reduce my impact. I believe sustainable farming is a great way of producing food. I prefer to reward (by buying) fresh food produced sustainably. And if I can’t buy that locally, then there will need to be transportation involved – but I can also encourage local sustainable entrepreneurship by spreading the word.
If we want to make small changes which can help to reduce our impact on this crowded planet of ours, we need to be sure we’re making the right changes.
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A very good and important point to bring up concerning locally grown foods at a farmers market. You can never tell how someone has grown a product and its always safe to ask the people involved and others you may know.
Absolutely! When I first started to eat locally, I was astonished to find that some farmers markets have very different criteria for what is “local,” not to mention very different priorities as far as chemicals, sustainable land use, and all of the things I really care about with food. Sustainable regional foodsheds (or even beyond, I suppose), even with a slightly higher transportation costs, may often represent a more truly sustainable model than some local options.
Yes, it’s sad but true – and finding out the details is always worthwhile. Thanks for your comment Jess!
I have seen some poor local food and generally there is no indication that it is organic. Those who are green at the farmers market are generally proud to display this and that is where to find healthy food.
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Clare, this is a item tha people seem to be paying attention to more and more.
Scott Sylvan Bell
Hi Green Goddess,
Learning the pros and cons of buying locally is wise to do!
Happy Dating and Relationships,
April Braswell
Good point Clare , we generally don’t know where the products come from , unless we personally know the grower .
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