New Synthesis Essay

People who are concerned about their health try to eat better and healthier foods in order

to improve their cardiovascular and immune system, and possibly live longer. An example of

someone who wants to eat healthier and improve their body is called a locavore, somebody who

“strive[s] to buy products that have traveled the least food miles” (Source F). In this century,

people are always looking for new foods to eat and healthier drinks to try. Being a locavore can

dramatically improve the community and its surrounding areas by keeping money flowing in the

area. Along with improving the community, buying locally sourced food can help to improve the

air and oxygen we breathe and also improving the freshness of the food that we eat.

The definition of a locavore is somebody that buys fresh food that was grown and

produced from sources that are closely located to them. Buying food that was grown in a certain

area from a farmer’s market or from the farm itself, can keep money in that area’s economy since

there are no furtive deals or money exchanges occurring. In London, the capital of England, a

study was completed by the New Economics Foundation and those results showed that “a dollar

spent locally generates twice as much income for the local economy” (Source A). Therefore,

based on the data and results found from this study, the more money that people spend in their

local community, the more money will go back into the community and help it grow. A person’s

body is not the only thing that buying fresh and local food can do, as it has been proven that it

will impact the surrounding area and community in a positive way.

When locavores by locally sourced food in their community, they are also improving the

environment in a way that the air quality can become more pure. When people buy food from

large grocery store chains, most forget to acknowledge the production and transportation that the

food took to reach the store. When food is transported on large, gas-guzzling trucks, and
produced in steaming factories, then the atmosphere is affected and the air quality is reduced.

According to a chart found from an environmental magazine, different types of food products

can release varying amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. In the chart, the

production of red meat and dairy products are shown to release the most greenhouse gases,

topping out at 2.5 metric tons CO2e per household a year (Source D). These greenhouse gases

can release harmful carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and reduce the amount of pure oxygen

for people to breathe. Being a locavore can improve the environment by reducing the amount of

harmful greenhouse gases that are being released into the atmosphere.

The final reason that being a locavore is all-around a better idea is that people will be

eating food that is healthier and taken care of properly. When people eat these healthier foods,

the risks of contracting contagious diseases and illnesses, including heart attacks and diabetes,

will be lessened. As the professor and former chair of nutrition, Marion Nestle, says, “Our 100-

mile diet -even in winter- was almost certainly more nutritious than what the average American

was eating” (Source B). Food that is locally sourced is not sprayed with harmful chemicals and

pesticides to improve its lifespan in order to “survive” the transportation.

Being a locavore is something that all people should try as it can improve their body’s

health, improve the atmosphere, and improve their own community. It is understood that some

areas of the world cannot afford to grow their own local food and have to rely on food being

transported, but the human race has always tried to better itself and that all starts with their own

bodies.