Green Daily

The "organic vs local" debate is getting a little annoying because it's been going on for so long and nobody can seem to come up with anything really definitive on which is better for the planet and our health. The general consensus seems to be that local is better because the long-distances that many organics travel both rack up significant carbon footprints and contribute to the depletion of valuable nutrients. Those arguments make sense, but then what about the damage caused by pesticides used when growing non-organic local foods? Chemicals are building up in the soil, leeching into water supplies, and disrupting the balance of ecosystems all over the world -- not to mention some fruits and veggies are less nutritious when grown using chemicals. So it seems a load of toxic pesticides sprayed on a farmer's fields might be equally as damaging to the environment as sending the crop on a one-time long distance trip.

The best thing, of course, is to find options that are both if you can, but if you can't it's really about what you have the easiest access to and what's the most important to you and your family.