BUYING LOCAL

Food miles is a term often used in the food sustainability discussion. Less distance travelled has got to be a good thing for greenhouse gas emissions – right? Well actually, not necessarily. The term ‘food miles’ was coined to encourage thought towards a food’s cultural origin, rather than the travel emissions. In the UK, transport only accounts for 10% of total food emissions, most of which is related to consumers’ personal cars driving to and from the supermarket. Highly perishable goods that require air freighting, such as green beans and berries, are an exception, so it’s worth trying to avoid produce that is flown in. Forcing growing conditions with heat, light and polytunnels is actually more carbon intensive than transporting them in from warmer countries. Ultimately, changing what you eat, versus where it comes from will have a much bigger impact on your carbon footprint.​

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That being said, choosing local produce has the benefits of supporting local farmers and encourages seasonal eating. Knowing where our food comes from. makes it easier to find out how it is grown, who is involved and what the impacts might be.