Food travels thousands of miles from producers to consumers. Some people think that it would be better for the environment and economy if people only ate the local food produced by farmers.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
It is an inevitable truth that vegetables and fruits have to cover many kilometres to reach the potential. It is believed that it would beneficial for the environment and the nation’s economy if local people start consuming food grown by the local farmers. This essay agrees with this statement because this would help to lower air pollution and the government will earn more from taxes.
Firstly, when farm produce is imported or transported to other places, trucks and aeroplanes are used for transportation which produces a lot of carbon dioxide. This CO2 released by transport vehicles pollutes the air. If people start eating locally grown food, the carbon emitted to the atmosphere can be reduced. For example, a recent study by Cambridge University found that in the last year, 10 thousand tonnes of carbon dioxide is produced by planes and trucks carrying the foodstuff.
Secondly, if the residents start eating locally grown food, it will significantly improve the income of the local farmers. This will make farmers prosperous and the state will reap the rewards in the form of taxes when farm owners spend on other needs. To illustrate, in my province Punjab, the government took an initiative to encourage people to purchase the food from the local farmers, this made the local farmers financially secure and this actually helped the state to collect more tax from people.
In conclusion, if local farm products are consumed by the local community, there is no doubt less pollution will be produced by transport vehicles and it will be beneficial to the country’s economy.
