How to Buy Green Food

To go green, shop for organic and local food.

You've likely heard the benefits of "going green," but how do you know if you're really buying green food? Companies are currently green-washing all kinds of products, including foodstuffs. Labels that say "all natural" and "no artificial ingredients" do not necessarily mean that the food is green. Green food is produced and transported with minimal harm to the environment; it is often organic and/or local food. Follow these tips to determine when food is truly green.

Instructions

1. Shop local farmers markets. Conventional food found in most grocery stores travels many miles by truck, train, and plane. These "food miles" result in carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change. When you choose to buy and eat local food, which does not travel far, you are releasing fewer CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, according to the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. As a bonus, you get fresh food that is usually organic, and you help keep small local farmers in business.

2. When shopping in the grocery store, look for signs and stickers that say where food is from. Many local farmers will sell food to larger chains in the area.

3. Look for the "USDA Organic" sticker on food you buy in the grocery store. This label means that the produce has been grown without most conventional pesticides and with the use of safe fertilizers. Organic meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs have been produced without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones.

References

• Reducing Food Miles
• National Organic Program

Resources

• Local Harvest: Farmer's Markets