The Myth Of Local Food

Now that most "green" people are coming to realize that most of what they thought they knew about organic food is a myth, many of them are shifting gears to promote local food. The theory is that by supporting local farms, you're saving the environment from the fuel and carbon emissions that is used in shipping.

Except is doesn't actually work that way. Studies have shown that the most energy intensive part of the food buying process is your trip to the market, not the food's. The fact is, some food needs to be shipped. When was the last time to were in New England and bought a locally-grown orange or banana. So shipping is inevitable, and it's more efficient to ship a lot of items rather than just a few.

There's one other fact that these people forget. Not everything is better locally. I live in Connecticut. I don't want most of food from here. I want my apples from New York or Washington. I want my onions from Georgia (Vidalia to be exact). Even the local farmer buys his carrots from California.

The fact is not all food is not created equal. It depends on the soil and the climate. Besides, I dare anybody to get a local lobster in Iowa. Some things just shouldn't be local.