Support local food markets

According to a Jan. 30 article in the Notre Dame Observer, the University of Notre Dame has become yet another in the rising tide of colleges and universities to take advantage of locally-produced food. Given the many benefits of local foods, IU would be wise to follow suit. Food travels an average distance of about 1,500 miles before it reaches our C-stores, dining halls and dinner plates. This amounts to huge shipping costs, high fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and detracts from the quality of the food. Almost 90 percent of the money paid for food in the U.S. goes toward shipping, processing and marketing. By buying local, IU can put more of its food dollars directly toward food instead of middle-men while receiving a better, healthier product. Many other academic institutions have adopted a model for utilizing local agriculture, providing a boost to local economies and contributing to the improved health of the student body. IU can and should learn from these schools in order to implement a plan that would work in Bloomington. There is nothing to lose and much to gain.