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Issues: Health

Miles to California: How Far Has Your Food Traveled?
How Far Your Food Travels Has Serious Consequences for Your Health and the Climate

People are rediscovering the benefits of buying local food. How your food is grown, stored, transported, processed and cooked can all influence how it affects climate and the environment. Transportation-related impacts are particularly important for imported foods. NRDC calculated the transportation impacts of importing fresh produce and wine widely consumed in California, directly comparing the climate and air quality emissions from importing these foods instead of growing and consuming them in California. Our analysis shows that -- all else being equal -- locally grown foods are a better choice.

Food miles: How far your food travels has serious consequences for your health and the climate
November 2007
In California, where agricultural commodities are one of the top exports, it is ironic that so much food is being imported from other states as well as overseas.

Garlic
November 2007
The transportation-related pollution from importing Chinese garlic includes 39 times more particulate matter and 6 times more global warming impact than transporting garlic grown in California.

Grapes
November 2007
In 2005, the transport of grapes from Chile to California using trucks and cargo ships resulted in the release of an estimated 14.6 million pounds of pollutants that contributed to global warming and caused unhealthy air quality in California.

Oranges
November 2007
The transportation-related pollution from importing Australian navel oranges includes 44 times more particulate matter and 6 times more global warming impact than transporting oranges grown in California.

Rice
November 2007
The transportation-related pollution from importing Thai rice includes 22 times more particulate matter and 3 times more global warming impact than transporting rice grown in California.

Tomatoes
November 2007
The transportation-related pollution from flying tomatoes from the Netherlands includes 500 times more global warming impact and 2 times more particulate matter pollution than transporting tomatoes grown in California.

Wine
November 2007
The transportation-related pollution from importing wine from France includes 29 times more particulate matter and 5 times more global warming impact than transporting wine from California.

Methodology and Sources

Related NRDC Pages
Eat Local: Does your food travel more than you do?

last revised 11.16.07