That locally-produced, free-range, organic hamburger might not be as green as you think.
An analysis of the environmental toll of food production concludes that transportation is a mere drop in the carbon bucket. Foods such as beef and dairy make a far deeper impression on a consumer’s carbon footprint.
“If you have a certain type of diet that’s indicative of the American average, you’re not going to do that much for climate while eating locally,” says Christopher Weber, a researcher at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh who led a comprehensive audit of the greenhouse gas emissions of our meals.