Why eat local - I need more info!

Over the past year, I have written and referred to many arguments for eating local.  If you would like more information, here are some references.

I only have a few minutes - what do I read?

Diet for a sustainable planet.  The challenge: Eat locally for a month (You can start practicing now), SF Chronicle

Voting with your fork: Eating local means more for the local economy

Eating local protects us from bioterrorism

I want more!

Coming Home to Eat: the Pleasures and Politics of Local Foods, Gary Paul Nabhan

Eat Here: Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket, Brian Halweil

Holy Cows and Hog Heaven: The Food Buyer's Guide to Farm Friendly Food, Joel Salatin

Comments

[Eamon Molloy]

All of these references are good. I want to add another one. " Local food 'greener than organic'" was published by the BBC in March of this year. Researchers looked at organic vs. local and determined that the transportation of organic produce over long distances creates more environmental damage than any locally grown produce. The link for the article is (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4312591.stm).

[jen]

Thanks so much, Eamon. Of course, that reference should go on the list -- it's a great piece.

[Elizabeth]

Can I ask a bit of a devil's advocate question? Setting aside the taste/freshness/sense of connection issues (which I recognize as important), and focusing just on energy consumption, I'm afraid that it would consume just as much fossil fuels for me to drive around to lots of different local producers as is used for the groceries I buy at the supermarket to be shipped from California or Iowa. Has anyone looked into this issue?