The environmental impact of fresh tomatoes consumed in cities: A comparative LCA of long-distance transportation and local production

Eight scenarios of fresh tomato supply to urban citizens were analysed using a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) approach. Two the corresponded unheated greenhouses and long distance transportation final consumer; four zero-miles agriculture in rural environment, including heated greenhouses, open-field production; another two Urban Agriculture (UA). The objective was compare environmental impacts production tomatoes consumer. Zero-miles had highest impact (e.g. Global Warming Potential GWP 0.33 kg CO2 eq per tomato), such an extent that far away comparatively better (GWP 0.21 eq). Conversely, was, environmentally, best option with 0.12 eq. Interestingly, travelled by product less important than efficiency transport. Other burdens inefficient irrigation, chemical disinfection soil technological appliances used for micro-agriculture. As consequence, scenario not one where grown closest consumer's table, but most efficient contaminating agronomic management transport strategy. Thus, UA environmentally superior carried out areas; conversely, horticulture helps stabilize population regions suffering from depopulation.