There are some general reasons people try to eat as locally as possible. Eating locally
- means that food is fresher and tastes better because it is in season and has been developed for taste rather than travel
- helps build relationships with local farmers allowing people to trust their food source
- helps to preserve farms and green space in local communities
- helps build community economy and social networks
- lowers your carbon footprint*
*This is an oft-debated subject. Personally, I don’t think it’s a good enough argument on its own to go local.
As with most everything else, though, the more you discover about your local food, and the more you research and read about the nation’s food supply, the more complicated everything becomes! If you’re interested in learning more about the issues, here are some places to start your investigation:
About.Com has a simplified (maybe overly!) “Cliffs Notes” version of some of the reasons people eat locally.
EatLocalChallenge – group blog written by different authors, including Jen Maiser, one of the original women who coined the term, “locavore.”
Culinate – helping you make food choices that “fuse health, community, and the environment.”
Eat.Drink.Better – sustainable food for a healthy lifestyle.
Why do you choose to eat local food?
