Take a look at the average distance produce travels in the United States. This graphic compares the average distance that different types of produce travel from where they are grown to your dinner table. I love how this new “Transparency” from GOOD gives a graphical and visual representation of the difference in average food miles traveled. According to the people at GOOD, “The numbers were compiled for Iowa, but should be generally applicable wherever you live.”
(Click on the image below to see the full size graphic on GOOD’s website)
I think this information is important on a number of levels.
1) If you are concerned about the freshness of the food you consume (which typically means better tasting food), you should consider locally grown foods because they are likely to be fresher and better tasting.
2) If you are concerned about your carbon footprint and your contribution to global warming, then the concept of “food miles” matters. Lets take tomatoes as an example. According to the graphic, the typical tomato in your grocery store has traveled 1569 miles while a locally grown tomato usually travels about 60 miles. From a carbon standpoint, the local tomato used substantially less fuel to get to you.
3) If you are concerned about rising gas and food prices, it is important to start establishing local food sources. The cost of fuel contributes to the price of food. Because our food is transported extensively before reaching our kitchens, the affordability of food is directly affected by the price of oil. As the price of oil goes up, local food is less affected by the price swings because substantially less fuel is used to transport that food to you.
4) If you are concerned about living in a vibrant and flourishing Alamance County, you need to spend your dollars HERE in ways that contribute to the success of Alamance County . When you buy conventional carrots grown by a farmer in the other side of the country, you are using your money to support that community, not ours. When you buy those carrots from a large grocery chain that is headquartered out of state, the profits made on the carrots you just bought leave our local community and help support someone else’s. When you buy locally made products from a locally owned business you are supporting your neighbors. You are supporting your neighborhood farmer who grows the carrots, your neighbors who work in the store and your neighbor the business owner who owns the store (in our case this means YOU, the community of owners who make up Company Shops Market). Buying local contributes to the livelihood of numerous members of the community and leads to strength, self-reliance and good things for all of us within the community.
Thank you to Jeff Barney and Heather LeGarde for sharing the Produce Locally graphic on facebook.
Sarah Cook
Co-Manager of Comm. and Brand Mgmt
