Green Team Tips:

Eco-benefits of locally sourced produce

There are three major benefits to the environment from choosing local produce at farmers’ markets over mass-produced food grown far away: less transportation, fewer (and sometimes no) pesticides and preservation of green space. 

Locally sourced produce (often defined as being grown within 100 miles) means less transportation to the point of sale, which translates to less fuel consumption (less CO2 emissions) to get from farm to table. 

Farmers must pay a fee to be “certified” as being a grower of organic produce. And while some small farms don’t want to incur the expense, they certainly utilize fewer chemicals than industrialized farms. It might be worth striking up a conversation at your local farm stand to learn which and how much pesticides are utilized in their growing methods. 

Local farming preserves green space because successful local farmers are less likely to sell land to developers. Similarly, as demand for locally sourced produce grows, unused space is more likely to be converted to urban organic gardens instead of something industrial. 

For more information about Alpine Bank’s sustainability and conservation efforts, please visit our Green Initiatives webpage. 

• August 13, 2024
• Environment
• Pete Yang

About This Author

Pete Yang

Pete Yang is a senior vice president for Alpine Bank and the co-chair of Alpine's "Green Team." He's based in Aspen, where he handles commercial and consumer loans, with a particular focus on resort financing. He has a keen interest in protecting Colorado's unmatched mountain environment.

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