Why is Eating Food Less Traveled important?
Local food has more nutrients.
Local food has a shorter time between harvest and your table, and it is less likely that the nutrient value has decreased. Food imported from far-away states and countries is often older, has traveled and sits in distribution centers before it gets to your store.
Local food supports the local economy.
The money that is spent with local farmers and growers all stays close to home and is reinvested with businesses and services in your community.
Local growers can tell you how the food was grown.
You can ask what practices they use to raise and harvest the crops. When you know where your food comes from and who grew it, you know a lot more about that food.
Eating local food is eating seasonally.
Even though we wish strawberries were grown year round, the best time to eat them is when they can be purchased directly from a local grower. They are full of flavor and taste better than the ones available in the winter that have traveled thousands of miles and picked before they were ripe
Local foods promote a safer food supply.
The more steps there are between you and your food’s source the more chances there are for contamination. Food grown in distant locations has the potential for food safety issues at harvesting, washing, shipping and distribution.
Local food benefits the environment.
By purchasing locally grown foods you reduce food miles, support sustainable agriculture, and helps maintain local farmland, contributing to a more eco-friendly environment.
Why is Shopping Goods Less Traveled important?
Invest in the community.
Local businesses are owned by your friends and neighbors, are less likely to leave, and are invested in the community's future-just like you. Entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to settle in communities that promote their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.
Reduce environmental impact.
Locally owned businesses make more local purchases, requiring less transportation. Selling in or near where they live results in sprawl, congestion, habitat loss, and pollution.
Know the people behind the product.
When you're shopping with a small local business, you're often working directly with the owner (and manufacturer) of the product you are selling. This creates a connection you would not otherwise have and allows for the development of an interpersonal relationship.
Improve the local economy.
When a consumer buys local, significantly more of that money stays in the community. In fact, one Chicago study found that for every $100 spent at a local business, $68 remained in the city while only $43 of each $100 spent at a chain retailer.