There are many reasons why buying locally grown food reduces your carbon footprint. The first that I came across in my research was primarily about transportation. Due to the fact that buying locally limits travel time, the vehicle that is used for this commute only has to go a short distance, therefore releasing less greenhouse gases. Along with this, buying locally protects local lands. If those who grow the produce went out of business, that land would most likely be sold to big corporate companies where giant carbon emitting buildings would take over. The most locally sourced food you can get would be through your own home garden. This idea has been trending recently as a result of the pandemic and many people looking for sustainable alternatives to buying from chain stores. Growing your own food, or even just part of your meals like fruits and veggies, greatly reduces your carbon footprint. First, with absolutely no travel time, folks with home gardens completely eliminate greenhouse gases due to transportation. And, gardens regenerate themselves! So a home-gardener doesn’t have to buy produce over and over again. Lastly, you are growing plants. A plant’s photosynthesis cycle will constantly be cleaning the air, reducing the excess carbon.

There are many reasons why buying locally grown food reduces your carbon footprint. The first that I came across in my research was primarily about transportation. Due to the fact that buying locally limits travel time, the vehicle that is used for this commute only has to go a short distance, therefore releasing less greenhouse gases. Along with this, buying locally protects local lands. If those who grow the produce went out of business, that land would most likely be sold to big corporate companies where giant carbon emitting buildings would take over. The most locally sourced food you can get would be through your own home garden. This idea has been trending recently as a result of the pandemic and many people looking for sustainable alternatives to buying from chain stores. Growing your own food, or even just part of your meals like fruits and veggies, greatly reduces your carbon footprint. First, with absolutely no travel time, folks with home gardens completely eliminate greenhouse gases due to transportation. And, gardens regenerate themselves! So a home-gardener doesn’t have to buy produce over and over again. Lastly, you are growing plants. A plant’s photosynthesis cycle will constantly be cleaning the air, reducing the excess carbon. I personally have grown my family's herbs and a few vegetables, but after researching and writing this, I am on a mission to grow my home garden so much bigger!