Buying Locally Vs Big-Home Foods

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Americans expect to be able to purchase almost every food no matter what time of year it is, even if a food is not in season. Americans rarely think of where their food comes from or what goes into the process to be able to be sold on store shelves. A simple thing like coca cola, or even a club sandwich, is taken for granted and is expected to be in different stores and the ingredients to make the sandwich available when ever a family is in the mood for that meal. Depending on how available the ingredients for a certain food is, depicts on whether it is in the stores year round or just seasonal. Do Americans think about buying locally versus from big name stores? Probably not. The ingredients for a club sandwich comes from many different…show more content…
Now that we have moved we have one local store called Samuels Market's Shurfine. We have found out recently that they get their meat, and fresh produce from local farmers around here. The products that we cannot find at the local Shurfine, we can get at Aldi's about 30 minutes away. I would rather buy from local farmers when it comes to meat and produce. There are many advantages and disadvantages both ecological and economical to buying locally versus buying from larger companies that manufacture their food from around the country and sometimes across the world. Buying locally made foods will give the most nutritional value due to food being at the peak of growth and not sent around and the country or around the world. Buying locally also helps the farmers to be able to get fair prices on their produce. According to Terrie Schultz, 2010 "Industrial agriculture is a major source of water pollution. Runoff of chemical fertilizers, animal waste and pesticides contaminates lakes and streams. Excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus in the water can cause algal blooms and result in ocean dead zones such as the one in the Gulf of Mexico." Foods that are shipped from a distance are usually filled with preservatives that way they stay good on the trip and for a little while on the…show more content…
(2008, October 09). Buying local food: Pros and cons. Retrieved from http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/2008/10/09/buying-local-food-pros-and-cons/ Schultz, T. (2010). The benefits of buy local programs and benefits of farmers markets. Retrieved from http://www.brighthub.com/environment/green-living/articles/63584.aspx Torrens, V. (2008). Pros outweigh cons on buying local. Retrieved from http://www.northkitsapherald.com/opinion/19920654.html Trefil, J., & Hazen, R. (2010). The sciences: An integrated approach. (6 ed.). John Wiley & Sons. ZME Science. (2011). How buying local benefits the enviroment. Retrieved from

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