Going local reduces the amount of energy it takes to transport food. Whether it is in packaging, processing, transportation or distribution, the length of the journey that food takes between production and consumption has an environmental impact at each stop along the supply chain.

The less steps there are between your food source and your plate, the less chance there is more contamination. Local production also creates greater accountability among producers which means that they will be more likely to engage in environmentally responsible practices.

Buying local circulates your dollar within your city up to 52%, compared to 14% when you buy from a chain retailer. With communities sourcing food from local farmers, money remains within the community, helping to sustain local producers and their families.

80 billion pounds of food are thrown away each year in the US— this is enough food to fill 1,000 Empire State Buildings, and is equal to about 161 billion dollars worth of food. That's right: nearly 40% of the food we produce never gets eaten.

Eating local often supports a more natural agricultural cycle throughout the seasons. A 2008 study found that imported broccoli has half the vitamin C of locally sourced broccoli due to mass food processing techniques.