Your food is tired.
By the time it gets to you, your food may have traveled as many as 1,500 miles. But the real concern isn’t the trauma inflicted on our food by all this travel, but the potential strain on the environment resulting from these transportation miles.
Historically, we cooked mostly what was available seasonally or could be preserved. Holiday favorites like pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes and pecan pie didn’t become favorites randomly—they became so because they could be easily obtained during the colder months. Now, global supply chains allow us virtually unlimited access to all kinds of food—year round.
Everyone likes options, but with every “food mile” translating into carbon emissions, choosing to incorporate more seasonally- and regionally-appropriate foods into our diet can benefit the environment.
Be especially aware of “frequent fliers”—foods that are typically are flown enormous distances, including bell peppers, blueberries, cherries, asparagus and peaches. Food items transported by plane can be particularly damaging to the environment.
Not sure what is in season near you? Find out what seasonal foods are currently available in your area simply by entering your state and the month.
Farmers’ markets are a great bet for finding locally-grown, seasonal food. If you are not sure where to find a farmers’ market near you, simply enter your zip code on LocalHarvest to pull up a list of nearby markets.
Controlling food miles is only one factor in controlling our overall carbon footprint. But buying more local and seasonal food is a good start on the road to environmentally-responsible living.
March 9th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
This is some great info from Mary Myrick!