11 June 2007, 15:53 PM
  • Despite being healthier, organic food is not necessarily better for the environment because of the distance it travels to reach consumers, new research has shown.

The study, carried out by a team of students and researchers in the Department of Rural Economy at the University of Alberta, in Canada, shows that the greenhouse gas emitted when produce has been transported over long distances can mitigate the benefits of organic growing.

Researcher, Vicki Burtt, explains, “If you’re buying ‘green’, you should consider the distance the food travels. If it’s travelling further, then some of the benefits of organic crops are cancelled out by extra environmental costs.”

The study found that for a city the size of Edmonton, in Canada, the environmental cost for organic and non-organic produce was similar. For instance, conventional products were responsible for between 5,492 and 7,426 tonnes of CO2, while their organic counterparts accounted for 6,348 to 7,124 tonnes.

In order to reduce emissions, researchers recommended to focus on locally produced food, hence highlighting the importance of grocery stores and farmers’ market.