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Local vs. Organic

ARE THE VEGETABLES ON YOUR PLATE REALLY GREEN? WE’LL SAMPLE THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF LOCALLY-GROWN AND ORGANIC FOOD ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.  

ORGANIC FOOD IS GREAT FROM A PRODUCTION STANDPOINT, BUT SOMETIMES ITS BENEFITS ARE OVERSHADOWED BY THE AMOUNT OF FUEL USED TO BRING IT FROM FARM TO STORE TO TABLE.    

PRETTY: THE ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS OF TRANSPORTING FOOD ARE SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS OF PRODUCING FOOD ON THE FARM.    

THAT’S JULES PRETTY, PROFESSOR OF ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX IN THE U-K.  HE SAYS THE IDEAL FOOD IS ORGANIC AND LOCALLY GROWN; BUT IF YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE, CONSIDER THE IMPACT YOU CAN MAKE BY SHORTENING THE FOOD CHAIN.

PRETTY ENCOURAGES CONSUMERS TO LEARN WHAT’S IN SEASON IN THEIR AREA, AND SAYS SUPERMARKETS CAN DO THEIR SHARE BY CLEARLY LABELING LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCTS. 

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Read more from BBC News.