By another estimate that includes transportation of inputs to farms and factories, typical food
items travel up to 4,200 miles in their journey
along the
supply chain.
It's difficult to calculate all the factors that affect an
item's total sustainability measurement, including «the recyclability of materials, their toxicity, the biodiversity of the raw material extraction site, and the working conditions
along the
supply chain,» but as long as you're efficient about washing dishes, not running the dishwasher unless full, using non-toxic detergent, and not stuffing your kitchen cupboards with far more reusable dishes than you'll ever use, reusables continually win out over disposables.