LOCAL charity Climate Action Ilkley has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the impact that food has on the global environment, particularly climate change.

They are starting by highlighting the very high carbon footprint of air-freighted produce – fresh vegetables and fruit that are flown here, usually from Africa or South America.

Each week in November their members are visiting each of the four supermarkets in Ilkley: Booths, Coop, M&S and Tesco. They are noting the country of origin of the fresh vegetables and fruit and the results are reported on their website. Unfortunately retailers do not show the mode of transport of produce so this is estimated using research published by Prof Mike Berners-Lee of Lancaster University and Prof Sarah Bridle of Manchester University.

Ilkley resident Neil Stevens, one of the co-ordinators of the campaign, said: “Vegetables such as green beans or broccoli from Kenya can have at least ten times the carbon footprint of green beans or broccoli grown in the UK.

“For several weeks in summer and early autumn they were on offer side-by-side on supermarket shelves and I don’t think most people realise the huge difference choosing between them makes.”

Green vegetables and soft fruit from outside Europe are flown in because they are very perishable and it would take too long to transport them by ship. On the other hand salads and fresh vegetables can be brought here from Spain or Italy in refrigerated lorries. They can have a footprint two or three times higher than UK produce which is in season, although if British tomatoes or other salads are grown in heated greenhouses they can have a much higher footprint than Mediterranean produce grown outdoors.

The situation with thick-skinned fruit is simpler. Bananas, oranges, melons and apples can be carried by ship and they have a relatively low carbon footprint.

Steve Peel of Climate Action Ilkley said: “By raising awareness of the impact of the way fruit and veg are transported, people can make an informed choice.

“Our suggestion is to buy produce grown in the UK, ideally locally, when it is in season, and to particularly avoid air-freighted produce.”

Find out more at climateactionilkley.org.uk