For some of us, the fall season means getting out the boots and sweaters, planning trips to see beautiful leaves, and eating yummy seasonal foods like apples, pumpkin, butternut squash, and more.

As we transition into fall, we encourage you to think about this last tradition and how it connects to our environment. Learning about and eating seasonal foods is a great way to make a positive impact on air quality! Why? Because off-season foods often travel really far to get to us, costing more in gas and releasing more air pollutants. One term for this distance food travels is food miles. For more information about food miles, click here.

For some great apple lessons covering science, writing, social studies, and more, check out these ideas from the University of Illinois.

And for tasty recipes with some fall harvest foods, see Food Network’s list here.

Happy Autumn, everyone!