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When you buy local produce you boost the vitality of regional agricultural and economic affairs while minimizing your carbon footprint. The long-haul transportation of domestic and imported fruits and vegetables is a fuel-intensive contributor to the rising level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

How to buy local produce

1. Educate yourself: Many consumers haven't the slightest idea where the produce they buy comes from. For example, if you live in Bend, Oregon, check the signage or labeling at your local grocer or supermarket to see if your favorite oranges hail from California or Florida—the ones from California being the environmentally responsible choice since they haven't traveled as far. And familiarize yourself with local seasonal produce— you might be surprised by what's grown in your region. Don't torture yourself by only eating canned fruits when peaches, for example, aren't seasonal in your area. The environmental impact of buying canned fruit can be greater than choosing seasonal fruit imported from elsewhere. And Americans who go bananas over bananas—the most popular fruit in the US—and want to buy locally are out of luck; they're not grown domestically and must be imported from places like Central America. The Food Security Learning Center, The Meatrix, The Local Food Directory Resource, and The Sustainable Table are great resources for inquisitive foodies who want to study up on local agriculture and seasonal produce.
2. Visit a farmers' market: Stopping by an open-air farmers' market or green market can be a literal breath of fresh air, particularly for urban dwellers unfamiliar with the bucolic charms of a roadside produce stand. Although farmers' markets often offer a wide array of edibles, those who crave a one-stop shopping experience might take issue. For others though, the farmers' market experience—an ages-old tradition in Europe and elsewhere—is a chance for consumers to interact directly with regional farmers and an opportunity to procure the freshest produce available. Additionally, the vendors participating in farmers' markets aren't concerned with bells and whistles such as packaging. It's also advisable that you bring your own shopping bag. Typically, established farmers' markets take place on a once-weekly basis, often on weekends, in places like parks, town squares, or parking lots. Some farmers' markets, such as Seattle's Pike Place Market and Farmers Market in Los Angeles operate on a daily basis in an established location. New York City's Greenmarkets can be found in almost 50 locations throughout the five boroughs. FarmersMarket.com, LocalHarvest, and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) guide to farmers' markets are all good resources to help you find a farmers' market near you.
3. Join a CSA: Joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm is an intimate—even more so than frequenting a farmers' market—way for consumers to connect with local producers. When consumers join a CSA they become a "share-holder" or "subscriber," allowing them to act as a guardian of the farm's welfare and, in essence, making the farm truly community-based. CSA members most commonly show their support financially but sometimes are asked to contribute a few hours of manual labor during peak growing seasons. In exchange for their backing, members receive a weekly or monthly supply of produce and other farm products. Find a CSA farm near you at LocalHarvest, Food Routes, or at the Eat Well Guide.
4. Don't stress over starfruit: The art of buying local produce involves a lot to chew on. Don't brood over the small stuff like calculating the exact distance a bag of baby carrots has traveled from point A to B or fret if an apple isn't local, seasonal, and organic. Buying local can be tricky for urbanites and nearly impossible for tropical fruit-o-philes. For many, buying local and seasonal produce is a lifestyle choice while for others it's a simple step to consider and act on, if possible, while sauntering through the produce aisles.
5. Buy produce that is in season: Focusing on seasonally-appropriate food for your region is a great way to ensure that you have locally-grown options. The modern grocery store enables us to enjoy food from around the world at any time of the year, but this convenience may detract from the joys of the culinary seasons. For example, fresh local apples are a sure sign that fall has arrived, and apples imported during the rest of the year just can't compete. By eating with the seasons, you can experience foods at their peak taste all year long. In addition to reducing your environmental footprint through buying locally, this mindset may expose you to some new favorite foods that you never would have thought to try. For a list of foods for spring, summer, and fall, check out Eating With the Seasons from "Organic Gardening." Winter is a difficult season for eating locally in many regions, but some foods-squash, potatoes, onions, beets, and carrots, among others-store well in a dry basement or other cool area.
6. You want to be sure your local fruits and veggies are as clean as possible, right? Scrubbing or rinsing with water and a natural dishwashing soap or a fruit and vegetable wash is recommended. This is especially true for produce that's waxed or likely to contain high levels of pesticide residues. Peeling produce, when applicable, is also an effective way to avoid residual residues.

Did you know?

The New Oxford American Dictionary recently chose locavore as its 2007 word of the year. A locavore is someone who seeks out locally-produced food whenever possible, preferring to eat that which is fresh and seasonal—qualities inherent in local food.[1]

Buying local produce helps you go green because...

• Whether transported by air, land, or sea, the global produce trade is fuel-intensive and adds to mounting levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Choosing produce grown close to home diminishes the eco-perils associated with long-distance transportation.
• Many smaller local growers use fewer pesticides and practice sustainable farming methods. If they haven't received costly organic certification, your loyal patronage might enable them to do so.
• Buying produce from a farmers' market or from a farm itself is a no-frills process that involves less packaging.

Fruits and vegetables are often associated with regional farming given that different crops thrive in different climates and terrains. For example, potatoes are associated with Idaho and Red Delicious apples with Washington. Although regionally produced, most produce is subsequently traded on a national (and international) scale, making "food miles" an issue to consider. Researchers at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture found that non-locally grown produce travels an estimated 27 times as far as its homegrown counterpart. For example, the researchers, using Iowa as an end point, found that Iowa-grown garlic traveled 31 miles to reach buyers while garlic grown and distributed conventionally traveled 1,800 miles. In another instance, Iowa-grown apples traveled 61 miles to reach consumers while conventionally grown and distributed apples traveled 1,726 miles.[2] The Leopold Center is also exploring the idea of creating an eco-label to help consumers select produce grown and shipped with the least environmental impact.

In the United States, 90 percent of domestic produce is transported by truck.[2] In 2002, transport of agricultural goods by truck was responsible for an estimated one percent of emissions generated by American freight trucking.[3] Next to air freight, moving produce by truck is the least environmentally-friendly.

Leopold Center researchers also developed a "Transport Environmental Impact" (TEI) rating that considers both the total mileage traveled by produce from grower to grocer, as well as the mode of transportation. Interestingly, when the TEI system is used, locally-grown produce doesn't always rate as the most eco-friendly choice. For example, a pineapple transported by ship from Costa Rica to Florida and then trucked to Iowa has a lower TEI rating than grapes trucked from California to Iowa. Even though the pineapple traveled a greater overall distance than the grapes, its environmental impact was smaller since movement by ship releases less carbon dioxide.[2]

In January of 2007, the United Kingdom's leading environmental charity and organic certifier, the Soil Association, announced it would take action to reduce the number of organic foods imported by air freight. Proposed options include carbon offsetting, marking produce with labels that reveal "food miles" traveled, and enacting a total ban on air-freighted organic foods.[4]

Local vs. meatless

A study by Carnegie Mellon University scientists has concluded that eating less meat will reduce carbon emissions even more than purchasing food locally.[5] The study found that transporting food is responsible for only 4 percent of food-associated greenhouse gas emissions, while production contributes 83 percent;[6] researchers say that means that buying all local food is like driving 1,000 fewer miles in your car annually, which is what you get cutting dairy and meat one day a week. Go totally veggie and you'll slash a whopping 8,000 miles in vehicle emissions.[7] In fact, researchers say that delivery to the consumer accounts for only 1 percent of total red meat-associated emissions.[6]

Why is meat-eating more problematic than driving a car or purchasing far-flung food? The production of meat and dairy products creates a high amount of nitrous oxide and methane emissions, from fertilizers, manure management, and animal digestion. Methane, which is much more potent than carbon dioxide, is produced both during digestion in cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and camels, as well as during the anaerobic decomposition of livestock manure.[8] Nitrous oxide results from the nitrification and denitrification of nitrogen in livestock (most commonly of cattle) manure and urine.[9] Stats like these have led to questions like: "Can going vegan do more to slow global climate change than shopping my local farmer's market?"[10]

Related health issues

Since local produce doesn't experience a protracted, in-transit lull between farmer and consumer, it's not as likely to spoil or come in contact with harmful bacteria as its conventionally farmed counterpart. Preservatives are often used to prevent spoilage in produce farmed for national and international distribution, and these additives can be harmful to human health. In the event that local produce becomes contaminated, the chance of it causing a widespread health crisis is nil given that its distribution area is restricted. During the 2006 E. coli outbreak, the infected spinach was grown on a large-scale farm in a single region in California but consumers in 26 states fell ill.[11]

Additionally, small, local farms are more likely to use few or no pesticides in comparison to industrial farms.[11] Chemicals used in conventional farming show up in food as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). POP exposure has been linked to immune system suppression, nervous and hormonal system disorders, reproductive system damage, and various cancers, including breast cancer.[12]

Glossary

• persistent organic pollutants: POPs are toxic chemicals that were, and in some instances still are, used in agriculture for pest and disease control and crop production, as well as in manufacturing. Although many POPs have been banned, they remain in the environment and global food chain, easily traveling via wind and water.[13]

External links

• Chews Wise
• The Daily Table
• EatLocalChallange.com
• Eat Low Carbon Use this fun interactive tool to find out how your diet's contributing to climate change.
• Food Routes
• The National Agriculture Library
• Organic Schmorganic
• Natural Resources Defense Council - Is Organic Food Worth It?
• Pollan, Michael (2007) ''The Omnivore's Dilemna'' New York, New York: The Penguin Group - a great read on various scales of food production and the pros and cons of eating local and organic.