I came across this article today and it reminded that I was intending to start a discussion along these lines.
When you do your shopping, what's your priority? Organic, therefore supposedly healthier and tastier for you, or locally grown? If I have a choice between organically grown carrots from Israel or "standard" carrots from Kent (therefore only down the road by comparison) which should I get? Personally I go for the locally grown. The ideal solution is buy everything from local organic farms, but that isn't always feasible (it involves a lot more planning and really following the seasons, which isn't easy with a household of people who only like specific veg) so I try to compromise... plus growing things locally.
I do however, refuse point blank, to have things like carrots, apples, onions and potatoes that have not been grown in the UK or a country v. close by because they are all grown here in the UK and they store well so can be made available all year round - there is no reason at all to be flying them in from the US or New Zealand (it's amazing how many apples over here have come from New Zealand - the other day I even came across Coxes that had come from NZ.... why?????).
This article also raises another good point - should you really better for eating that organic ready meal, with products from all over the world. It would have less negative impact on the world (and probably taste better) if you made it yourself with local products.
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It is, but what about people living in flats?
This is similar to the Greenpeace discussion we've been having on here in that it may well be a case of the lesser of two evils, in which case I'd say local is better than organic purely because of the food miles involved.
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It's certainly the option I go for - apart from anything else, the cost of transporting food thousands of air miles has to be vast, and if the two products are comparably priced, then what does it say for the amount they pay the farmers? At least if you buy locally you know that the transport hasn't cost so much either financially or to the environment.
People in flats can grow some of their own produce - even if it is just a couple of tomato plants on the window sill, it all helps (and tastes better!)
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