Worried About Your Carbon Footprint? Shopping Local Might Be the Key 

Blog Post by Volunteer and Student, Anna Potratz

The pollution that comes from simply shipping food across the country can do massive environmental damage. Delivery trucks can put up to 1,522 tons of carbon emissions into the atmosphere every year, and about 70% of our food is shipped by truck, according to the US Energy Information Administration. 

Towns along major shipping routes suffer the most from severely worsened air quality, which is linked to increased rates of respiratory illness, growth delays in children, and cancers. So not only is this an issue of our future, but of the health of people in small, drive-through towns. 

What Can You Do?

Lowering contribution to this form of pollution is easy: shop local! Farmers’ markets are almost always run by a passionate collective of local farmers, both hobbyists and professionals The San Diego Farm Bureau has an excellent list of farmers’ markets certified by the County Agricultural Commissioner, which ensures the produce meets quality standards and was grown in-state. It’s a great place to start if you don’t know of any markets near you.