Do you know how far the apple in your kitchen traveled before you picked it up at the grocery store? According to the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, apples in American grocery stores typically travel 1,726 miles before reaching your kitchen!
Just think about the fuel needed to transport produce like this across the country or across borders. Also think about the pollution generated by the vehicles carrying this produce. An apple a day may keep the doctor away but the fumes accompanying it will definitely hurt us!
The impact on the environment is one issue, but we also have to worry about preservatives that are used to keep this apple nice and crispy during its very long journey to your grocery store. To keep produce fresh during the long haul across continents and oceans, produce companies have to use chemical preservatives. It is well documented that preservatives are hazardous to human health.
So what can we do? Well, you can try your best to buy local produce whenever possible. Even though America has lost more than 5 million farms (USDA figures) since 1935, there are still many farmers who have generated markets for themselves in...