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Green Eating Guide
Tips for making healthy food choices for you and the planet
Eat Local Foods
FOOD FACTS:
A typical American meal contains ingredients from five countries, and domestically grown produce travels an average of 1,500 miles before it is sold.
Buying local is a good bet for reducing pollution and the energy used to transport, store and refrigerate food.
Most of the 270 million pounds of imported grapes that arrive in California every year have traveled 5,900 miles from Chile, for example. Throughout the course of the year, the cargo ships and trucks that transport them release 7,000 tons of global warming pollution into the air.
When all other factors are equal, choosing local food is good for the planet, good for your health and good for local farmers.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
- Shop at a local farmer's market or join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) group. Find one near you at Local Harvest.
- Consult NRDC's Eat Local guide to find out which fruits and vegetables are fresh near you and get great seasonal recipes.
- Read more about choosing local foods in This Green Life.
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