How is the food produced - mechanically or manually?
Food produced locally does not necessarily have a lower carbon footprint than food imported from abroad. Far more tractors and machinery are used to grow food in the West.
How is the food transported and does the customer travel to purchase food?
Buying local produce could be as damaging to the environment as buying food that has been imported if the customer has to travel further and in a vehicle to find it.
Who benefits from growing it?
Food grown abroad gives employment to many people in the Third World.
What chemicals are used in the food production?
Food produced abroad may use fewer damaging chemicals than locally produced food.
How long has the food been held in storage?
Locally produced food may be held for months. Picking the right source of food depends on the time of year.
How much land is needed to produce the food?
A vegetarian diet requires fewer hectares of land for food production than a diet which includes meat or animal products such as milk. It may not be the source of the food that has the biggest effect on the environment but the type of food.
How will you cook and store the products?
The longer you need to keep food and the way you cook it will affect your carbon footprint.