Summer is over and even if there are still a few tomatoes hanging in some gardens, it is foreseeable that they will no longer be there in a few days.
And then?
There is no question that the plump, red delicacies that should not be missing in sandwiches or salads, even in the depths of winter, can still be found in supermarkets.
Then they just come from the Netherlands or southern climes.
But at what price?
Trucks travel hundreds of thousands of kilometers to make tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers available in our supermarkets all year round.
Where they grow, they do not do so in a Garden of Eden: in Holland, the vegetables often thrive in energy-intensive greenhouses, in southern countries under huge areas of plastic film.
And some of it is harvested under conditions some call slavery.
Beyond regional borders
All of this should be considered when it comes to the question of whether a farmer in Gernsheim should be allowed to build a gigantic greenhouse to grow the popular fruit there on an area the size of about 13 football pitches.
Of course, this means intensive use and the sealing of areas in places.
But the farmer Jirko Stiller, who is planning the project, not only points to the saved truck traffic over the long distance, he also wants to use energy and water particularly efficiently.
When deciding whether to approve such a project, it is important to carefully weigh up the environmental impact, even beyond regional borders.
All too often farmers who want to work efficiently in order to be able to produce their products cost-effectively in a market dominated by retail chains are branded across the board as environmental sinners.
The current crises show how important it is to be able to take care of yourself.
You may have to accept environmental impairments that you would otherwise close your eyes to because they are far away.