Morals of buying apples

[mr_hanky]

A quick question:

In your opinion what is the most valid ethical reason to buy locally produced apples over imported nicer tasting apples flown in from Africa?
a)supporting local economy?
b)environmental?

My thoughts are that buying locally produced apples supports the local economy, providing jobs to local people etc. But buying apples from Africa supports a foreign community that would probably benefit more from the money.

Buying locally produced apples has a smaller impact on the environment compared to flying them in from Africa (the carbon emmisions per apple are probably at least 10x less).

thanks

[yukoncpa]

If the African apples are cheaper and tastier, then buy them. Why would you not? What do you mean by local economy? The most local economy that I can think of is you and yourself. Whatever benefits you the most is the most economical thing to do.

Now, if you are a business man, and apple producers in your locality do business with you, then by all means, buy from those people who will reciprocate and give you the most business in return. But usually this isn't going to be the case. Just buy the cheapest and/or tastiest apples from whomever. That simple policy does everybody the most amount of good.

[yukoncpa]

Allow me to elaborate ( to take some extremes). You could adopt a policy where you force everyone to buy from local producers. This will benefit the people who happen to own apple orchards.

Or, you could allow a free market and allow consumers a free choice. This will benefit poor people, and . . . whoops, everybody else, even local laborers who won’t skew their labor towards an artificial, temporary market, and who will benefit by the population as a whole becoming wealthier.

[kerowo]

yes, lets please turn this into a political rant about the wonders of a global economy, maybe we can get some AC trolls to show up and start their rants too.

If you always bought produce closest to it's source you will most likely be eating a little bit healthier because that produce will tend to be the least processed.

[tomdemaine]

[kyzerjose]

Make your own decision where to buy the apples. You're free to choose. Why does "man" always look for a set of "morals" or rules to guide the decision making process?

[chezlaw]

fresh apples should be so much tastier than imported ones. If you local growers are so grossly incompetent then supporting them would be stupid.

chez

[m_the0ry]

wrong forum

[GoodCallYouWin]

Why do you assume it must be moral to buy locally?

[chezlaw]

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wrong forum

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