You may have heard the staggering statistic that the ingredients in the average American meal travel over 1500 miles before landing on our kitchen tables [1], according to the Worldwatch Institute [2]. A recent Common Dreams article [3] explains how the tremendous growth of the globalized food system has become “one of the single most important causes of increased greenhouse gases [3] during the past 50 years.”

That’s why you should venture over to TrueCostTour.org [4], which offers a virtual tour of a grocery store, revealing the hidden environmental costs of the products we purchase weekly at the market. Whether it’s produce, processed foods, cleaning agents, meats, or paper products, everything has a cost to the planet that far exceeds its price tag.

The online tour reveals sobering statistics like the following: “Nearly 70 percent of our nation's produce comes from only 7 percent of our nation's farms.” And “genetically engineered [5] ingredients, such as corn and wheat, are currently found in 60-70 percent of the food found on grocery store shelves.”

The True Cost Tour tries to impart good news: We all have purchasing power [6], and a conscientious consumer mentality can improve your health, the environment, and the global economy. The final word of advice isn’t surprising: Buy organic [6] and shop locally. But spending 10 minutes to listen to the Tour’s facts [7] will deepen your conviction to do so.

Image credit: Truecosttour.org [8]