Things to consider when buying food

I came across an interesting article about things to consider when buying food which I've extracted from and added to for this week's blog:
Is it local?
According to studies, if all food was consumed within 20km of where it was produced, costs associated with congestion and transport would be cut by 90%. If it hasn't travelled, as far it hasn't created as much greenhouse gases and is more likely to be fresh and nutritious. And of course you are supporting local business.
Is it in-season?
Food that is in-season, does not need to be packaged and refrigerated to the same degree to be appealing and tasty. As many of you have noticed, fresh and in-season produce lasts longer and so you are throwing out a lot less. It also uses less resources to consume produce that is in-season.
Is it highly packaged?
Because today's packaging is tomorrow's landfill, buying produce without all the layers is good for future generations and reduces the need for ugly tips.
Is it highly processed?
Highly processed or refined foods tend to use more energy and water in their production. Fresh, tasty produce retains more of the nutrition and doesn't require as much processing to be delicious!
Is it organic?
Organic farming focuses on the health of the soil and uses natural production methods rather than relying on synthetic chemicals. The upshot is that organic farms tend to be gentle on our native wildlife and produce less greenhouse pollution.
Food labelled "Certified Australian Organic" also means it is free of genetically modified organisms, and farm animals have been treated according to the strictest welfare standards.