Back before the age of refrigeration and the easy accessibility to vegetables and fruits from all over the world, it was absolutely necessary to have some form of root cellaring to preserve food. Cellars were the key to subsistence.
In the 21st century, with all the modern technology and accessibility to food, why should we have root cellars? There are several reasons why we should continue in this direction. Root cellaring is a way to store crops without using energy. The once humble root cellar is making a comeback since it is environmentally friendly. Using and storing local produce reduces the need to transport food from long distances. Root cellars, as storage facilities, reduce energy used to haul, process, and refrigerate food in the usual way.
Root cellars can give us a sense of food security. In the event of a natural disaster or a shortage of a certain crop, our stored food can always be available to us. By having a root cellar, we can avail of tasty local products and organic products with no additives and no outside energy input.
Root cellars can save us a lot of money. Buying vegetables in the height of the season means buying some quantity at a cheaper price. Watching vegetable and fruit discount specials and stocking up can practically pay for the cost of your cellar over a period of time. If you grow your own vegetables and store them in your own root cellar, it will bring a sense of pride each time you visit your cellar and bring the product to your own kitchen table.