Buying local means buying food and goods that are grown, raised or produced as close to home as possible. Buying local also means that you are helping to preserve the environment as well as a sustainable way of life and community.  You are providing more nutritious produce for yourself and for your family, in addition to knowing where the produce is coming from.

Environment
Transporting food long distances uses an incredible amount of fossil fuel that releases pollutants into the atmosphere contributing to global climate change and air pollution.  Energy is also consumed with the refrigeration required to keep your food from spoiling as it travels.

There is a large amount of paper and plastic packaging to keep food fresh (or at least looking fresh) for a longer period of time. This packaging often ends up in the landfill and the production of the packaging adds to even more pollutants entering the atmosphere. The industrial farms on which these foods are produced are also often major sources of air and water pollution.

Know where your Food is coming From
Small, local farms are often run by farmers who live on their land and work hard to preserve it. Buying local means you are able to find out what they do and how they do it. Is their food grown organically? If not certified organic, ask why. Many small farms still use sustainable or organic farming methods that help protect the air, soil and water and are therefore better for you. Know where your food comes from.

Family Farms and Community
According to the USDA, the U.S. has lost over five million farms since 1935.  Family farms are going out of business at break-neck speed, changing rural communities. If this continues, they will soon not be able to provide the local produce we have come to expect.  By supporting local farms near suburban areas and around cities, you help keep farmers on the land growing the foods we want and, at the same time, preserve open spaces and counteract urban sprawl.

Health and Nutrition
Buying food from local farms means getting food when it’s at its prime. Fresh food from local farms is healthier than industrially-farmed products because the food doesn’t spend days in trucks and on store shelves losing nutrients.

Food transported short distances is fresher (and, therefore, safer) than food that travels long distances. Preservatives are often used to keep foods looking fresh longer, and can be hazardous to human health. Industrially-produced foods are also difficult to grow without pesticides, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics and growth hormones, all of which can be damaging to both the environment and human health

Buy Local Think Global
The Buy Local websites lists over 20,000 farmers markets, growers and growers associations enabling consumers to search out local producers and retailers easily and efficiently. Search articles on buying local, energy news, technology and business. Take a moment and visit our featured profiles or photo blog, it's all right here.