Ever wondered how far food has traveled from production to your plate? One of the major negatives of food import is pollution, as vehicles must travel great distances over a short period of time. Although buying locally won't necessarily slow or restore any environmental shift, it's a good habit to get into for many reasons, including health benefits and benefits to the local community.
Transportation is only one part of the bigger picture when it comes to pollution and the idea of sustainability, as processing and harvesting food are important factors as well. However, being able to track even a part of the process is a step towards a more informed and better thought out strategy on how one gets their food.
And in 2002, the United States passed a Farm Bill, which requires country-of-origin labeling (COOL) on many edible products, including most meats, and fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. This makes tracking food that much easier for the average consumer as it gives a rough estimate of its food miles and lets consumers be informed.
Although not a perfect or 100% infallible calculator, Food Miles is a great place to start thinking about where your food comes from and what impact on the environment it may be having. This isn't the whole story and does not track every step of the process, but it's a jumping point for thinking about what you are eating. So come on and tryit out here.