What is better or worse for the environment...?

Question

driving 10 miles to buy local produce or driving 1 mile to buy from a major supermarket chain?

Answer 1

Our supermarket does stock a lot of local produce,which I try always to buy (it`s often dearer than imported foodstuffs)But at the end of the day,unless everyone walks everywhere and only buys local produce,it wouldn`t have much affect. How does everything get to the supermarket?(by road)What do they use for lighting,heating,running fridges and freezers?how do their staff get to work?How does the local producer get his seed,fertiliser etc?(by road)what does he use to protect his crops from the frost,fleece? How does that get to him?Cattle to market,how?Chicken feed? Hay and straw if he can`t produce enough of his own? This country runs on transport!.O.K.,ban all trucks,the country would be at a standstill within hours.No food,no services,no road fuel,no emergency services.Hauliers are already being taxed to the hilt and now they are paying excessive fuel prices...so it`s pretty irrellevent where you get your shopping.

Answer 2

If you restrict the effect on the environment to your personal impact, then driving one mile to the supermarket is better.  The chances are that much of the produce from ten miles away will be available in the supermarket.  

In addition, you will probably have to to to the supermarket anyway to purchase soap, cosmetics, etc. that are not available at the local produce market.  You only have to make one 1-mile trip in your car to purchase all of these items instead of making multiple trips.

By the way, I live about 3/4 mile from my nearest supermarket and usually walk there.  I do not mind walking there if I only have to purchase items that I can carry home comfortably.  This is better for the environment (and my general health) than driving there.

Answer 3

Driving the 10 miles to buy local produce is much better for the environment.  Most of the food in the major supermarkets have to be trucked in from great distances and these trucks run on diesel which is very bad for the environment.  The local food has not travelled nearly as far and so this cuts down on the pollution from the truck bringing it to the store, plus you are supporting your local farmer.  So even though you are driving a bit more far, the food has not and this is very good for the environment.  Great question.

Answer 4

How about bicycling instead? Maybe install a couple of saddlebags on the back to carry more groceries. Then you can go to whichever one you want without impacting the environment at all!

Answer 5

Hard to say.  Of course local produce is always better to buy but that produce was still transported to that store.  The major supermarket obtained it's produce from somewhere else but it was shipped in bulk, a very large quantity.  That's a tough one.  It also depends on what kind of vehicle you are driving...I'd go for the 10 mile local produce since my car is very efficent.  haha, good question!

Answer 6

My friend, you should consider planting some of your own food! Gardening is like the biological equivalent of building things. So, by planting and tending to a garden, you not only become more self sufficient, but you also start building our society into one that is more equitable for everyone and more sustainable for the future!

Answer 7

Neither is going to have any effect on the environment.  It's equivalent to spitting in the ocean.

Do what you enjoy the most.