Commercial agriculture has become an integral part of our society, and while it helps to meet the demand for food on a global scale, it also comes with its own set of environmental issues. From soil erosion to water pollution, there are a variety of ways in which commercial agriculture can negatively affect our environment.
In a world filled with processed and imported foods, it is increasingly difficult to find food that has been grown or produced close to home. Supporting locally grown or produced food can be beneficial for the environment, local economy, and our health. Let’s look at the advantages of eating locally grown and produced food.
Health Benefits
By purchasing locally grown or produced food, you are more likely to get fresher ingredients for your meals. This means that you are also getting higher-quality ingredients. Local fruits and vegetables will be picked at the peak of their ripeness, providing you with more nutrients per bite than imports shipped from far away. Additionally, when you buy local produce, there are no added preservatives, so your food is free from harmful chemicals often found in store-bought produce.
Environmental Benefits
Supporting local food production helps reduce transportation costs associated with shipping imported items by plane or boat. Furthermore, buying locally reduces emissions caused by transportation as well as packaging materials used for imported items. Buying locally also helps promote biodiversity—that is having a variety of different species of plants and animals—by protecting natural ecosystems from commercial farming operations. Finally, supporting local businesses encourages farmers to use sustainable practices to protect their land and water sources in order to ensure future harvests.
Economic Benefits
When we buy local produce, not only are we helping small businesses stay afloat but we are also promoting job growth in our community as farmers hire more people during harvest season and restaurants source more ingredients from nearby farms. Purchasing locally sourced products is an investment into our own communities since it allows us to support small businesses while helping them grow into larger companies that can eventually provide employment opportunities for many people in the area.
By eating locally grown and produced foods rather than importing products from overseas markets, we help support our environment through sustainable farming practices as well as invest in our communities by providing job growth opportunities to our neighbours. Eating locally also guarantees freshness in our foods which means better taste and higher nutrient content for us! Therefore, it makes perfect sense for us all to choose local whenever possible!
